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Congressional RecordPLENARY PROCEEDINGS OF THE 17th CONGRESS, SECOND REGULAR SESSION

House of Representatives

Vol. 3 Wednesday, December 6, 2017 No. 45

1907PHILIPPINES

HOU

SE O

F REPRESENTATIVES

CALL TO ORDER

At 4:00 p.m., Deputy Speaker Mylene J. Garcia-Albano called the session to order.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). The session is called to order.

NATIONAL ANTHEM

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). Please rise for the singing of the National Anthem.

Everybody rose to sing the Philippine National Anthem.

PRAYER

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). Please remain standing for a minute of silent prayer.

Everybody remained standing for the silent prayer.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). The Majority Leader is recognized.

ROLL CALL

REP. HOFER. Mme. Speaker, I move that we call the roll.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). Is there any objection? (Silence) The Chair hears none; the motion is approved.

The Secretary General will please call the roll.

The Secretary General called the roll, and the result is as follows, per Journal No. 45, dated December 6, 2017:

PRESENT

Acharon Acop Acosta-Alba Advincula Aggabao Aglipay-Villar Albano Alejano Almario Almonte Alvarez (F.) Alvarez (P.) Amante Amatong Andaya Aquino-Magsaysay Aragones Arbison Arcillas Arenas Atienza Bataoil Batocabe Bautista-Bandigan Belaro Belmonte (J.C.) Biazon Bolilia Bondoc Bordado Bravo (A.) Bravo (M.V.) Brosas Calderon Calixto-Rubiano Caminero Campos Canama Casilao Castelo Castro (F.L.) Castro (F.H.) Cerafica Cerilles

Abaya Abellanosa

Abu Abueg

Chipeco Co Cojuangco Collantes Cortes Cortuna Cosalan Crisologo Cua Cuaresma Cueva Dalipe Datol de Venecia De Vera Defensor Del Mar Del Rosario Dimaporo (A.) Dimaporo (M.K.) Elago Erice Eriguel Ermita-Buhain Escudero Espino Estrella Evardone Fariñas Ferrer (J.) Ferrer (L.) Ferriol-Pascual Flores Fortun Fortuno Fuentebella Garbin Garcia (G.) Garcia (J.E.) Garcia-Albano Garin (S.) Gasataya Gatchalian Go (M.)

2 Congressional Record • 17th Congress 2RS v.3 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017

Gomez Gonzaga Gonzales (A.P.) Gonzales (A.D.) Gonzalez Herrera-Dy Hofer Jalosjos Kho Khonghun Labadlabad Lacson Lanete Laogan Leachon Lee Lobregat Lopez (B.) Lopez (M.L.) Loyola Macapagal-Arroyo Madrona Malapitan Manalo Mangaoang Mangudadatu (Z.) Marcoleta Mariño Marquez Martinez Mending Mercado Montoro Noel Nograles (J.J.) Nograles (K.A.) Nuñez-Malanyaon Oaminal Ocampo Olivarez Ong (E.) Ong (H.) Ortega (P.) Ortega (V.N.) Pacquiao Paduano Palma Pancho Panganiban Papandayan Pichay Pimentel Pineda

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). With 197 Members responding to the call, the Chair declares the presence of a quorum.

The Majority Leader is recognized.

APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL

REP. HOFER. Mme. Speaker, I move that we approve Journal No. 44 dated December 5, 2017. I so move, Mme. Speaker.


REP. HOFER. Mme. Speaker, I move that we proceed to the Reference of Business.


The Secretary General will please read the Reference of Business.

REFERENCE OF BUSINESS

The Secretary General read the following House Bills and Resolutions on First Reading, Messages from the Senate, Communications and Committee Reports, and the Deputy Speaker made the corresponding references:

BILLS ON FIRST READING

House Bill No. 6744, entitled:“AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A FOOD POLICY

FRAMEWORK, CREATING NATIONAL AND LOCAL FOOD COUNCILS AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFORE”

By Representative ChavezTO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT

REORGANIZATION AND THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON FOOD SECURITY

House Bill No. 6745, entitled:“AN ACT TO SUPPORT FARMER AND

FISHERFOLK ENTREPRENEURIAL D E V E L O P M E N T B Y W A Y O F R E S T R U C T U R I N G A N D S T R E N G T H E N I N G L O C A L G O V E R N M E N T P R O G R A M S I N AGRICULTURE TO BE KNOWN AS ‘SAGIP SAKA’, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”

By Representative ChavezTO THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE

AND FOOD

Primicias-Agabas Quimbo Ramirez-Sato Ramos Relampagos Revilla Roa-Puno Rodriguez (I.) Romero Romualdo Salimbangon Salo Sambar Sandoval Sarmiento (E.M.) Savellano Sema Siao Silverio Singson Suansing (E.) Suarez Tambunting Tan (A.) Tan (M.) Tejada Teves Ting Tinio Tolentino Treñas Tupas Ty Umali Unabia Ungab Unico Uy (J.) Uy (R.) Uybarreta Vargas Veloso Villafuerte Villanueva Villarica Yap (A.) Yap (M.) Yap (V.) Yu Zamora (R.) Zarate Zubiri

THE SECRETARY GENERAL. The roll call shows that 197 Members responded to the call.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017 17th Congress 2RS v.3 • Congressional Record 3

House Bill No. 6746, entitled:“ A N A C T R E A P P O RT I O N I N G T H E

C O M P O S I T I O N O F T H E F I R S T L E G I S L AT I V E D I S T R I C T A N D SANGGUNIANG PANGLUNGSOD SEATS OF THE CITY OF CALOOCAN”

By Representative MalapitanT O T H E C O M M I T T E E O N L O C A L

GOVERNMENT

House Bill No. 6747, entitled:“AN ACT AMENDING THE PHILIPPINE

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING ACT OF 1998”

By Representative CamposTO THE COMMITTEE ON CIVIL SERVICE

AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION

House Bill No. 6748, entitled:“AN ACT CREATING A BARANGAY TO BE

KNOWN AS BARANGAY VICTORIA REYES IN THE CITY OF DASMARIÑAS, PROVINCE OF CAVITE”

By Representative BarzagaT O T H E C O M M I T T E E O N L O C A L

GOVERNMENT


KNOWN AS BARANGAY NEW ERA IN THE CITY OF DAMARIÑAS, PROVINCE OF CAVITE”


GOVERNMENT


KNOWN AS BARANGAY H-2 IN THE CITY OF DASMARIÑAS, PROVINCE OF CAVITE”


GOVERNMENTHouse Bill No. 6751, entitled:

“AN ACT CREATING AN ADDITIONAL BRANCH OF REGIONAL TRIAL COURT IN THE 3RD DISTRICT OF ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE, TO BE STATIONED IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF LILOY, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 129, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ‘JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980’ AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR”

By Representative Amatong TO THE COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE

House Bill No. 6752, entitled:“AN ACT ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL

PROGRAM FOR THE CACAO INDUSTRY A N D A P P R O P R I AT I N G F U N D S THEREFOR”

By Representative Tan (A.)TO THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE

AND FOOD

RESOLUTIONS

House Resolution No. 1503, entitled:“RESOLUTION CALLING THE HOUSE

COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS TO CONDEMN AND CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE CASES OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS ON AUGUST 28, 2017, OF FARMERS AND HUNTERS ROGELIO MENDOZA AND ROLITO MENDOZA IN CADSALAN, SAN MARIANO, ISABELA, PERPETRATED BY THE 86TH INFANTRY BATTALION OF THE PHILIPPINE ARMY”

By Representatives Brosas, De Jesus, Zarate, Tinio, Castro (F.L.), Casilao and Elago

TO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES

House Resolution No. 1504, entitled:“ R E S O L U T I O N D I R E C T I N G T H E

COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL DEFENSE AND SECURITY TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE CONDUCT OF US-PHILIPPINES COUNTER-TERRORISM DRILL ‘TEMPEST W I N D ’ A N D I T S I M P L I C AT I O N S ON PHILIPPINE SOVEREIGNTY”

By Representatives De Jesus, Brosas, Zarate, Tinio, Castro (F.L.), Casilao and Elago


House Resolution No. 1505, entitled:“A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER

HOUSE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY AND INVESTIGATION, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE APPARENT CORRUPTION AND IRREGULARITIES IN THE IMPOSITION, COLLECTION, AND DISTRIBUTION OF TAXES AND FEES ON THE QUARRYING OPERATIONS IN THE PROVINCE OF NUEVA ECIJA AND OTHER PROVINCES IN THE PHILIPPINES”

By Representatives Vergara, Violago and TevesTO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES

House Resolution No. 1506, entitled:“RESOLUTION URGING THE COMMITTEE


ON HUMAN RIGHTS TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE REPORTED FOOD BLOCKADE IMPOSED BY THE MILITARY IN A LUMAD EVACUATION CAMP IN LIANGA, SURIGAO DEL SUR”

By Representative ElagoTO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES

House Resolution No. 1507, entitled:“A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE

‘ASEAN BAC PHILIPPINES’ HEADED BY PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP CHAIRMAN JOEY CONCEPCION AND COUNCIL MEMBERS TESSIE SY-COSON AND GEORGE T. BARCELON FOR SUCCESSFULLY ORGANIZING AND HOSTING THE ASEAN BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT SUMMIT (ABIS) 2017”

By Representatives Yap (A.), Panganiban and Biron


House Resolution No. 1508, entitled:“A RESOLUTION STRONGLY URGING THE

GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM (GSIS) TO IMMEDIATELY WAIVE INCURRED PENALTIES OF LOANS OBTAINED BY PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”

By Representative SaloTO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT

ENTERPRISES AND PRIVATIZATION

MESSAGES FROM THE SENATE

Message dated November 29, 2017, informing the House of Representatives that the Senate on even date passed with amendments House Bill No. 6215, entitled:“AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE

OPERATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES FROM JANUARY ONE TO DECEMBER THIRTY-ONE, TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHTEEN, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”

in view of the disagreeing votes on the said House Bill, the Senate designated Senators Loren Legarda, Ralph G. Recto, Franklin M. Drilon, Cynthia A. Villar, Sonny Angara, Panfilo M. Lacson, Joseph Victor G. Ejercito, Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay and Juan Miguel F. Zubiri as its conferees to the Bicameral Conference Committee.


Message dated December 4, 2017, informing the House of Representatives that the Senate on even date designated Senator Vicente C. Sotto III as an additional conferee to the Bicameral Conference Committee on the disagreeing provisions of House Bill No. 6215, entitled:“AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE

OPERATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES FROM JANUARY ONE TO DECEMBER THIRTY-ONE,TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHTEEN, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”


COMMUNICATIONS

Letter dated October 10, 2017 of Catalino S. Cuy, Officer-in-Charge, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), submitting to the House of Representatives the DILG’s 3rd Quarter Progress Report on Performance Challenge Fund for CY 2017.TO THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Report on Fund Utilization and Status of Program/Project Implementation for the Quarter ended September 30, 2017 of the Municipality of Lupao, Province of Nueva Ecija.TO THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Report by the Committee on Basic Education and Culture (Committee Report No. 503), re H.B. No. 6306, entitled:“AN ACT RECOGNIZING THE BRITISH

SCHOOL MANILA AS AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION OF INTERNATIONAL CHARACTER, GRANTING CERTAIN PREROGATIVES CONDUCIVE TO ITS DEVELOPMENT AS SUCH, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”

recommending its approval in consolidation with House Bills Numbered 6032 and 6063

Sponsors: Representatives Durano, Lacson, Salo and Escudero


Report by the Committee on Appropriations (Committee Report No. 504), re H.J.R. No. 18, entitled:“JOINT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE

INCREASE IN BASE PAY OF MILITARY AND UNIFORMED PERSONNEL IN THE GOVERNMENT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”

recommending its adoption without amendment in


consolidation with House Bills Numbered 1325, 1350, 1465, 1701, House Joint Resolutions Numbered 14, 16, 17, 19 and House Resolution No. 1459

Sponsors: Representatives Nograles (K.A.), Alvarez (P.), Fariñas, Suarez, Pimentel, Abayon, Biazon, Alejano, Bertiz, Alonte, Yap (A.) and Belaro


Report by the Committee on Local Government (Committee Report No. 505), re H.B. No. 6764, entitled:“AN ACT TRANSFERRING THE CAPITAL

AND SEAT OF GOVERNMENT OF THE PROVINCE OF RIZAL FROM THE CITY OF PASIG, METRO MANILA TO THE CITY OF ANTIPOLO, PROVINCE OF RIZAL”

recommending its approval in substitution of House Bill No. 3046

Sponsors: Representatives Acharon, Acop and Duavit



CONSIDERATION OF H. JT. RES. NO. 18ON SECOND READING

REP. HOFER. Mme. Speaker, I move that we consider House Joint Resolution No. 18, contained in Committee Report No. 504, as reported out by the Committee on Appropriations.

May I ask that the Secretary General be directed to read only the title of the measure.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). Is there any objection? (Silence) The Chair hears none; the motion is approved.*

The Secretary General is directed to read only the title of the measure.

With the permission of the Body, and since copies of the measure have been previously distributed, the Secretary General read only the title thereof without prejudice to inserting its text in the Congressional Record.

THE SECRETARY GENERAL. House Joint Resolution No. 18, entitled: JOINT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INCREASE IN BASE PAY OF MILITARY AND UNIFORMED PERSONNEL IN THE GOVERNMENT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.


REP. HOFER. Mme. Speaker, I move that we recognize the Chairperson of the Committee on Appropriations, Rep. Karlo Alexei B. Nograles, to sponsor the measure.


The Hon. Karlo Nograles, Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, is hereby recognized.

REP. HOFER. Mme. Speaker, I move that we open the period of sponsorship and debate. I so move, Mme. Speaker.


The period of sponsorship and debate is hereby opened.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Thank you, Mme. Speaker. It is my honor as Chairperson of the Committee on Appropriations to sponsor House Joint Resolution No. 18, entitled: JOINT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INCREASE IN BASE PAY OF MILITARY AND UNIFORMED PERSONNEL IN THE GOVERNMENT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. I would like to add, Mme. Speaker, that this Joint Resolution was authored by no other than House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez, Majority Leader Rodolfo C. Fariñas, and joined by the Minority Leader Danilo E. Suarez and this humble Representation.

I have a prepared sponsorship speech, Mme. Speaker, but in the interest of time, because I know that there is still so much that we need to take up today before we go on Christmas break next week, may I just ask that my sponsorship speech be inserted into the records.


REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we insert in the records the sponsorship speech of the Sponsor of the measure and likewise, to consider the Explanatory Note as part of the sponsorship speech. I so move, Mme. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). Is there any objection? (Silence) The Chair hears none; the motion is approved. *


* See MEASURES CONSIDERED (printed separately)


REP. GONZALES (A.P.). Mme. Speaker, may I move that Cong. Raul V. Del Mar be included as coauthor of the said measure. I so move, Mme. Speaker.



REP. GONZALES (A.P.). Mme. Speaker, I further move that we include additional coauthors of House Joint Resolution No. 18 as contained in the list to be submitted by the Committee on Rules.



REP. GONZALES (A.P.). Mme. Speaker, I move that we recognize the Gentleman from ACT TEACHERS Party-List, the Hon. Antonio L. Tinio, to interpellate on the measure.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). The Hon. Antonio Tinio is recognized for his interpellation.

REP. TINIO. Maraming salamat, Mme. Speaker. Magandang hapon sa kagalang-galang na Sponsor.

Mme. Speaker, ang House Joint Resolution No. 18 ay isang mahalagang panukala na dapat pagtuunan ng pansin ng Kongresong ito dahil sa bisa ng Joint Resolution na ito, pagdating ng Enero 2018, ay dodoblehin ang suweldo ng pulis, sundalo at uniformed personnel. So, mula sa kasalukuyang suweldo, halimbawa, ng Private, ng Police Officer 1 at ng iba pang uniformed personnel na kasalukuyang nasa mahigit-kumulang P14,000 sa isang buwan ay, by January 1, 2018, magiging P29,668 ayon sa panukalang ito. Tama po ba iyon, Mme. Speaker, G. Isponsor? Tama po ba iyong intindi ko sa proposal na ito, iyong pagdoble ng sueldo?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Yes. Mme. Speaker, as far as dito sa House Joint Resolution, iyong monthly base pay ng Police Officer 1, PO1, ng Philippine National Police, pati iyong rank na Private in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, pati iyong kanyang equivalent ranks sa BJMP, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Public Safety College, Philippine Coast Guard and iyong NAMRIA, aakyat po iyong suweldo from P14,834 to P29,668. Kumbaga, mayroong 100 percent increase sa kanyang base pay simula ng January 1, 2018 kapag ito ay na-approve. Iyong sa ibang ranks, iyong increase in base pay nila ay hindi naman magiging 100 percent

but ika-calibrate iyan per rank, and kung titingnan natin iyong magiging average increase ng iba’t ibang mga ranks, ito ay magiging 58.7 percent increase. So, iyong lowest level lang po iyong magiging 100 percent, at iyong iba, iba-iba po iyong calibration noong kanilang increase, Mme. Speaker.

REP. TINIO. Salamat, Mme. Speaker, sa pagpapaliwanag na iyon. So, 100 percent para sa lower rank, in particular, sa Private at PO1; tapos, an average of 58 percent para sa iba pang mga ranggo, iyong mas mataas. Mme. Speaker, gusto kong i-point out na walang kapantay o unprecedented ang panukalang ito sa pagpapasuweldo ng gobyerno sa kanyang mga kawani, whether unipormado or sibilyan, kasi po, mula 1989 noong unang ipatupad ang Salary Standardization Law, halimbawa, for one thing, ang isang bago rito ay sa isang bagsak lamang ay madodoble ang suweldo, katulad noong sinabi natin, ng PO1 at saka ng Private.

Simula 1989 iyong SSL 1 na tinatawag hanggang, I think it was 1996 or 1997—no, 1994 iyong SSL 2 sa ilalim ni Pangulong Ramos, tapos iyong—ano na ba ang sumunod, Executive Order No. 201 sa ilalim na ni Pangulong Aquino. Pagka may salary increase, palaging in four tranches ito ibinibigay. So, apat na taon ang implementation kaya kung may pagtaas man, malaki o maliit, ay—wika nga, apat na gives—usually, ang dahilan ay para daw hindi ganoong mabigat sa kabuuang budget ng gobyerno o sa gastusin ng gobyerno.

Sa kaso pong ito, in fact, two tranches na siya pero iyong pinakamalaking increase, iyong 100 percent na increase, immediate ito and so, from P14,000 to P29,000 by January 2018. Ilang linggo na lang iyan. Tama po ba? Tapos, mayroong second tranche para doon sa increase naman noong mga higher ranks? Bakit po ganoon? Bakit po kagyat ang pagbibigay, hindi tulad noong nakaraan? Sa katunayan, i-expand ko na po, puwede po bang pakipaliwanag? For the record, ano po ba ang rationale sa ganitong walang kaparis, na unprecedented na pagbabago ng patakaran sa pasuweldo ng gobyerno, partikular sa militar, pulis at iba pang unipormado?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Ang nakikita po kasi, Mme. Speaker, ng ating administrasyon, na napakalaki na po ng nagiging role ng ating mga military and other uniformed personnel sa pag-ensure ng ating seguridad, internally pati externally. So, nakikita rin po ng ating administrasyon na napakalaki ng risk, na dahil dito sa kampanya natin on national security, internal security and security against external threats, nakikita ng ating administrasyon na napapanahon na bigyan naman natin ng pansin ang matagal nang hinihiling ng ating mga military and other uniformed personnel nationwide na


maitaas sana ang kanilang suweldo, and to boost their morale and to show our appreciation sa critical role po ng ating military and other uniformed personnel in maintaining our national security and peace and order, Mme. Speaker.

REP. TINIO. Ang mga dahilang binanggit po ng Sponsor, Mme. Speaker, is one to show appreciation, the State showing appreciation, iyong pagpapahalaga sa mga sakripisyo at sa serbisyo ng mga unipormadong personnel; at pangalawa, to boost morale. Iyon po ang nabanggit.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Yes, Mme. Speaker, lalong-lalo na sa ngayon, nakita natin ngayong panahon na ito, ibang-iba na po iyong mundo natin dahil we are really threatened by different forces. Internationally, nandiyan po iyong threat ng terorismo at naging biktima po tayo niyan, lalong-lalo lang nitong kamakailan lamang ay iyong nangyari po sa Marawi, iyong nangyari po sa iba’t ibang parte ng Mindanao, iyong nangyari sa Davao City, iyong nangyari kahit sa Visayas, na nagkaroon nga nitong mga terrorist attacks, nagkaroon ng rebellion and rebellious attacks at napakalaki at napakakritikal po ng role ng military and our PNP or our police force in solving all of these problems. Naging successful po sila sa pag-eliminate nitong mga threats na ito, both the threat of terrorism and the threat of rebellion at dahil naging mas malaki na po iyong role ng ating military and PNP dito sa pagbibigay ng seguridad sa ating bansa, ito po ay naging dahilan kung saan nakikita ng ating administrasyon na napapanahon na nga na bigyan natin ng ganitong klaseng pagtataas ng suweldo nila para naman ma-ensure din natin na ang ating mga military and other uniformed personnel ay magkakaroon ng lalong malakas na loob na proteksiyunan po ang taumbayan against all of these threats, Mme. Speaker.

REP. TINIO. Well, Mme. Speaker, itatanong ko na po siguro iyong pangunahing tanong ng mga kawani ng gobyerno na hindi unipormado, iyong civilian bureaucracy. Mula po ng aprubahan sa Committee on Appropriations noong isang linggo ay ito na ang tanong, ang kaisa-isang tanong na nakarating sa amin sa iba’t ibang paraan—directly o direktang ipinapaabot o kaya sa pamamagitan ng social media at sa iba pang paraan— at ito ay tanong ng mga sibilyan na kawani natin ng gobyerno, kasama na diyan iyong mga ordinaryong utility worker at clerk and of course, iyong mga public school teachers na isang bahagi noong sektor na kinakatawan ng ating party-list, iyong mga government health workers natin, iyong mga professionals in government service—civilian professionals katulad ng mga government lawyers, government social workers, guidance counselors at iba pa, mga inhinyero sa DPWH, mga accountants, and so on and so forth. So, ang tanong

po nila ay: Bakit unipormado lang? Paano naman daw iyong civilian bureaucracy?

Ano po ang paliwanag ng Sponsor dito? Iyan ang number one question.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Well, Mme. Speaker, darating at darating rin po tayo diyan kaya nga po napaka-importante na lalong palaguin natin ang ating ekonomiya, lalong palakihin ang revenues na kinokolekta ng ating gobyerno para po sa ganoong paraan ay maaari rin po nating bigyan ng additional compensation ang ating mga kawani ng gobyerno na nandoon naman sa civilian sector. Naiintindihan din naman po natin na itong pagbibigay natin ng karagdagang suweldo ay para po sa ating military and other uniformed personnel pero, siyempre, naiintindihan na rin po ng ating administrasyon na pati na rin iyong sa civilian sector, ang mga kawani natin na mga sibilyan, ang mga kawani ng gobyerno na mga sibilyan, ay kailangan na rin po nating bigyan ng karagdagang compensation.

So, Mme. Speaker, darating rin po tayo diyan, but obviously, it all depends din po doon sa ating budget. Kaya nga po, magandang nakikita natin na bawat taon ay tumataas po iyong budget natin, na ito ay dahil nga rin po dala ng paglago ng ating ekonomiya. So, rest assured, Mme. Speaker, that we are all working hard, both the Legislative Branch and the Executive Branch, to give additional compensation or even benefits to all of our government employees.

REP. TINIO. Mme. Speaker, so ang sagot po ng Sponsor, “Darating tayo diyan” pero obligasyon ko pong itanong ito. Sa katunayan, Mme. Speaker, bago tayo magsimula ng session, mayroong empleyado ng House, isa sa mga LSB natin dito na lumapit sa akin at binanggit nga iyong, “Sir, kumusta na iyong suweldo na ipinaglalaban ninyo?” Ang ibig niya sabihin ay iyong suweldo ng mga sibilyang katulad nila.

Kaya po, ipagpaumanhin ninyo, Mme. Speaker, siyempre, hindi po maaaring magkasya doon sa sagot na “Darating at darating tayo diyan” at kailangan po itanong, “Kailan po,” ano? So, sa kongkreto, kailan po ba at may plano po ba at kailan? Kung mayroon, kailan maaaring makaasa ng substantial salary increase ang mga kawaning sibilyan ng gobyerno sa ilalim ng Duterte administration?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Well, ayaw ko naman pong pangunahan ang Ehekutibo ukol dito. Tayo na rin naman po sa Legislative Branch, alam naman po natin dahil taun-taon tayong nag-a-approve ng budget. Gaya po nitong nangyari sa military and other uniformed personnel, nangyari lang po ito when we crafted the 2018 budget. Ibig pong sabihin, Mme. Speaker, we have to take it one budget at a time. Taun-taon naman dadaan iyan sa Kongreso kaya taun-taon ay tingnan natin kung


ano pa ang puwede nating idagdag o ipamahagi na mga karagdagang benepisyo or kung kaya’t karagdagang suweldo para sa mga kawani natin sa gobyerno. Itong sa military and other uniformed personnel, nangyari lang ito dahil dito sa 2018 budget. So, ganoon nga po, Mme. Speaker, let us take it one budget at a time.

REP. TINIO. Well, Mme. Speaker, actually, iyan nga ang isang parang dinaramdam ng mga kawaning sibilyan natin sa gobyerno kasi po kapag nananawagan sila ng salary increase, ang unang-unang sinasagot palagi ng DBM ay “Naku, walang pera, masyadong malaki ang kailangan natin.” Pero ngayon, nagulat sila na sa isang iglap, sabi ko nga, sa January 1 o pagtungtong ng January 1, doble na ang suweldo ng isang seksyon ng burukrasya at ito iyong uniformed personnel. So, parang ang nakita nila, “Aba’y may pera naman pala?”

Mme. Speaker, for the record, magkano po ba ang kailangan para dito sa 2018 initial implementation and then, eventually, for the full implementation by 2019 para malinaw po. So, we have figures, ano. Magkano po ba iyong total na kailangan at nakalaan na sa 2018 budget?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). For 2018, Mme. Speaker, kailangan po natin ng P62, sorry, P64.2 billion for 2018. Tapos, sa 2019, we just need to add another P4.15 billion, Mme. Speaker.

REP. TINIO. So, P64.2 billion sa 2018 and another four plus billion pesos sa 2019. So, ang total annually, P68, almost 69 billion ito?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Yes.

REP. TINIO. So, iyon nga po, Mme. Speaker, ano, hindi biro ang halaga na ito, P64 billion. In fact, hindi po ba iyong SSL para sa kabuuang burukrasya, kasama diyan ang pulis at militar and in fact, iyan ang halaga. Tama po ba?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Mme. Speaker, para sa SSL, we needed P225 billion na hinati natin sa apat na tranches.

REP. TINIO. Okay, P225 billion, so, actually, divided by four tranches. More or less, less than P65 billion nga, hindi ba?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Per tranche.

REP. TINIO. Per tranche.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Ang total po is P225 billion.

REP. TINIO. Oo. Exactly. So, kaya nga, tama po iyong punto ko na actually, bukod doon sa third tranche na ipatutupad sa 2018 which is, more or less, batay sa figures ninyo, roughly P60 billion iyan. Actually, ang Joint Resolution No. 18 na ito, ganoon din kalaki. So, in other words, iyong increase para sa militar at pulis ay kasinglaki noong increase na ibibigay para sa buong burukrasya.

Ang punto ko lang dito, Mme. Speaker, iyon nga. Kaya medyo naiintindihan natin iyong posisyon ng maraming mga civilian employees ng gobyerno na—“Aba’y bakit pagka iyong panawagan namin, walang pera?” Pero ito ngayon, katumbas na mismo noong increase para sa buong burukrasya iyong ibibigay para sa unipormadong sektor ng gobyerno. So, ito po iyong isang punto.

Tapos, matanong ko rin po: Fully funded na po ba sa 2018 na budget iyong P64.2 billion na kailangan? Kasi noong sa committee level po, wala pang kalinawan at parang P43 or so billion pa lang iyong tiyak pero ang alam ko, sabi ninyo, sa bicam daw baka hanapan na iyan. Just for the record, napirmi na po ba? Fully funded na po ba itong first tranche of this proposed Joint Resolution No. 18?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Opo. Kung masusunod po iyong magiging desisyon namin sa bicam, so far, hindi pa naman tapos iyong bicam.

REP. TINIO. Hindi pa tapos.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Hindi pa tapos. Nasa proseso pa rin kami ng bicam pero, so far, nahanapan na po natin ng paraan ito.So, kung masusunod iyong desisyon ng bicam at ira-ratify ito ng both Houses of Congress, then fully funded na po siya.

REP. TINIO. Okay. So, I suppose magbibigay kayo ng assurance that it will be fully funded.

Ito po ang isang tanong ko. Magagarantiya ninyo ba na sa paghanap ninyo ng pondo para ma-implement itong pagdoble ng suweldo ng pulis at militar ay hindi po ba babawasan ang anumang benepisyo na dapat ay mapunta sa buong burukrasya ng gobyerno, including—I mean, you know, civilian and military bureaucracy?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Opo. Yes.

REP. TINIO. Hindi ito mababawasan.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Hindi po.

REP. TINIO. Hindi po ba totoo—kasi ito, lumitaw po ito sa budget hearings natin na iyong pondo para sa PEI—sorry, PBB, Performance-Based Bonus.


REP. NOGRALES (K.). Hindi po.

REP. TINIO. Ngayong taon, ito ay for 2017—nakuha ko po sa kagalang-galang na Chair din ng Appropriations ito—P11 billion po mahigit-kumulang ang para sa PBB pero sa 2018, P6 billion na lang po. Tapos, ang paliwanang ninyo, dahil pinag-iisipang muli, the DBM is rethinking the PBB. So, hindi po ba ganoon?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Mme. Speaker, iyong naging discussion po namin ng kagalang-galang na Representante ay iba po iyon sa—may naging discussion tayo sa performance-based bonus.

REP. TINIO. Yes. Oho.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Pero iyong para sa additional na kinakailangan natin para pondohan iyong military and other uniformed personnel sa increase ng base pay …

REP. TINIO. Hiwalay.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). … hiwalay na issue po ito.

REP. TINIO. Hindi, naintindihan natin iyan.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Kasi kukunin po natin, hindi po iyon manggagaling doon sa performance-based bonus, kung iyon ang pinupunto, …

REP. TINIO. Opo.

REP. NOGRALES (K. ) . … kas i i tong discussion natin, kung naaalala po, Mme. Speaker, ng ating kagalang-galang na Representante ng ACT TEACHERS, ang discussion po namin noon on the performance-based bonus, hindi po iyon ang magiging source …

REP. TINIO. Okay.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). … noong kinakailangan na pondo para dito sa base salary increase.

REP. TINIO. Okay, understood. Siyempre, mahirap naman mag-pinpoint ng exact sources. Ang paboritong term nga ng DBM at DOF diyan, all these funds are fungible, di ba? Kung saan-saan—hindi mo matutukoy kung saan galing ang anumang pondo. Hindi po ba totoo pa rin na for 2017, sa GAA ng 2017, mahigit-kumulang P11 billion ang nakalaan para sa PBB, pero sa 2018 magiging P6 billion na lang ito, tama po ba?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Mme. Speaker, dito po sa GAB, iyong GAB na approved natin sa House of Representatives, under sa Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund, iyong Performance-Based Bonus po na inaprubahan po natin ay nagkakahalaga ng P11.625 billion and so, same as before.

REP. TINIO. For the record, 2018—in 2017, ngayon po, magkano po iyong fund for PBB?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). We will look for the—I will respond after we determine…

REP. TINIO. Yes, balikan na lang po natin...

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Opo.

REP. TINIO. …para malinaw, ano po. Okay. So, anyway, ang punto po natin na, iyon na nga ano, iyong hinaing ng mga civilian employees na wala daw pera kaya hindi sila mabigyan ng increase. Pero, iyong sa kasabihan nga—kapag ayaw, maraming dahilan; pero kapag gusto—paano nga iyon—kapag gusto, puwedeng-puwede. Hindi ba, kayang-kaya. Okay, something like that.

Ngayon, Mme. Speaker, sa Committee on Appropriations hearing, noong tinanong ko po iyong taga-DBM kung ano po ang maaasahan ng civilian bureaucracy in terms of salary increase sa ilalim ng Duterte administration, ang sinabi po, well, ipatutupad fully iyong Executive Order No. 201, meaning to say, iyong third tranche sa 2018, tapos iyong fourth tranche and last tranche sa 2019. As far as the rank and file is concerned, maliit po iyon kasi parang P500 a month ito para sa mga Salary Grade 1 to, more or less, Salary Grade 11. Tapos, ang sinabi po partikular ni Assistant Secretary Chua ng DBM, after 2018 daw, puwede naman pong pag-aralan na uli ng DBM kung nararapat ba na mag-implement na naman ng bagong round ng salary increase para sa civilian bureaucracy. Mananatili po bang ganito pa rin ang stand ng DBM?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Mme. Speaker, sa kasalukuyan, pinag-aaralan na nga pero kailangan nating maintindihan na ang gusto ng DBM sa ngayon ay tapusin natin iyong last tranche ng 2019. Kung mayroon man mga puwede nating gawin, other sets of increases, we could already perhaps talk about them and maybe, even sa implementation after the last tranche ng Executive Order No. 201. So, that would be in 2020. Maaari, ang ibig sabihin po ng taga-DBM noong sinagot niya iyong tanong ng ating kagalang-galang na Representante, Mme. Speaker, is, ngayon pa lamang ay pinag-aaralan na nga nila pero siyempre, you know, as I said, ang budget naman, we do it every year. Kaya nga po iyong budgeting kasi, alam ninyo, it is based


on assumptions at may mga ina-assume po tayong mga revenues that will be generated taon-taon. So, though all of these are projections, kaya ngayon nga po ay pinag-aaralan na, projecting kung ano ang magiging revenue natin sa 2020, 2019 and then 2020 and so on, para malaman rin kung magkano iyong magiging fiscal space natin. So, all of these things are taken into account kapag pinag-uusapan at pinag-aaralan iyong mga increase in compensation.

REP. TINIO. Okay, so, pag-aaralan whether ngayon na or sa—after 2019; basta pag-aaralan. Ang malinaw so far, ang categorical na naririnig po natin para sa mga kawaning sibilyan, including iyong mga House employees natin, ay—well, hanggang 2019 ang maaasahan lang ay iyong fourth tranche ng Executive Order No. 201. At this point, mukhang ganoon ang malinaw.

Speaking of pag-aaral, Mme. Speaker, iyon nga ang tanong ko: Nakabatay ba sa pag-aaral itong salary schedule na naka-propose sa House Joint Resolution No. 18? Iyong pag-doble, halimbawa, para sa private at POI, at iyong pagtaas para sa ibang mga ranggo, is that based on any particular study? Or usapin lang ba ito, na sinabi ni Pangulo noong campaign period na dodoblehin niya ang suweldo and so, ngayon, ito na, dinoble na iyong suweldo. Tapos, siyempre, dahil dinoble mo iyong suweldo noong nasa ibaba, kailangang i-adjust mo rin iyong mas mga mataas na ranggo.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Yes. REP. TINIO. So, iyon ang tanong ko po. Mayroon

bang scientific study na pinagbatayan sa mga rates or salary schedule na nandito?


REP. TINIO. Mayroon po ba? REP. NOGRALES (K.). Yes, Mme. Speaker.

Tiningnan po iyong mga current—iyong iba’t ibang ranks; tapos, tiningnan kung magkano iyong naging base salary sa kasalukuyan; tapos, tiningnan din po iyong, kumbaga, parang equivalent niya sa civilian. So, based on that comparison, that is how they came up with the formula ng increases. Tapos, iyong napagdesisyunan na iyong lowest rank ay magiging doble, tapos, tiningnan iyong o na-calibrate na po iyong increases per rank from the lowest all the way up to the highest, but making sure na iyong highest ay hindi rin tatanggap ng mas malaki sa parang equivalent niya doon sa civilian personnel.

REP. TINIO. Okay. Well, it is good na binanggit

ng Sponsor iyong equivalent sa civilian kasi nga ito iyong isang concern ko rin, ano. Pinag-aralan ba iyong,

well, effects ng distortion kapag ihahambing natin iyong suweldo ng militar at pulis at saka ng sibilyan, isa iyon. Tapos, iyong distortion din at saka iyong long-term effect on the job market as a whole, ibig sabihin, iyong long-term effect nito kasi, halimbawa, to be concrete, ang pinakamababang suweldo po dito na itataas, actually, hindi sa PO1 kung hindi, sa candidate soldier. So, by candidate soldier—sino po ba itong candidate soldier, sila ba ay kadete ng PMA? Ano po ba ito? Please clarify. O mga nag-a-apply na private, sila ba iyon? Paano ba iyan?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Mme. Speaker, trainee

pa po iyon. REP. TINIO. Trainee, so … REP. NOGRALES (K.). They need six months, at

least, as a trainee or as a cadet before they can become a private.

REP. TINIO. Trainee, bago maging private—ang

candidate soldier po, ang magiging starting salary will be P18,587 by January 1, 2018. Alam ninyo po kung ano ang katumbas niyan sa sibilyan? Sa sibilyan po, more or less, Salary Grade 10, Cashier 1, Agrarian Reform Program Technologist 1, is the closest— P18,718. Tapos, hindi malayo, the next closest would already be Salary Grade 11 which is your Teacher 1, your Registrar 1, your Guidance Counselor 1, that is in DepEd. Tapos, Nurse 1 sa public health sector; tapos, Private Secretary sa burukrasya.

So, iyon pa lang—hindi po ba, Mme. Speaker, G. Isponsor, parang mayroong distortion dito? Kasi iyong isa, trainee. In terms of qualifications, you are talking about professionals—teacher, nurse, guidance counselor. Let me add na ang guidance counselor, para maging lisensiyadong guidance counselor ka, you need not just a four-year course but you need an MA, a master of arts, aside from having to pass the licensure examination. Ngayon, sa proposal po ninyo ay itutumbas halos ang suweldo ng MA graduate sa isang trainee na sundalo na hindi pa nga qualified na maging private dahil trainee pa lamang? So, hindi po ba, Mme. Speaker, may distortion?

Let me go on. Iyon pong, halimbawa, let us see— an Assistant Principal I, Assistant Professor III, ang suweldo po niyan, or Executive Assistant II – Supervising Procurement Officer, Salary Grade 17, P34,781 naman. Ang katumbas po niyan ay Master Sergeant or Senior Police Officer I. I can go on. Let us see—Associate Professor I, so as Associate Professor po, with PhD, kailangan mo ng PhD para maging Associate Professor I ka sa state university or college. Master Teacher II—Master Teacher II na iyan at hindi lang Master Teacher I—para sa maraming guro, towards


the end of their career na iyan after, you know, serving in our public school system for, maybe, 20 or 30 years, ang suweldo niyan ay P42,099, Salary Grade 19, at ang equivalent po sa proposal ninyo ay 1st Lieutenant or Inspector. Ang First Lieutenant po, after ilang taon lang iyan na serbisyo; at ang Second Lieutenant, kaka-graduate mo pa lang sa PMA, First Lieutenant, maybe, after one or two years. So, ito po iyong isang concern natin. I could go on with the examples, pataas po tayo ng pataas. Ito po iyong concern natin, iyong distortion.

Sabi ninyo kanina, morale. Definitely, of course, dodoblehin ang suweldo ng pulis at militar, tataas ang morale ng mga ito, siyempre naman, hindi ba, and we do not begrudge them that. Maganda iyan, okay iyan. Natutuwa o matutuwa tayo para sa kanila at sa kanilang mga pamilya kaya lang po, as I said, sa social media ay may mga nagpaabot na mga teacher, ito nga, mga Master Teacher, at sinasabi nila, “I’ve been in government service for 20, 30 years, ni hindi ko natikman itong P29,000, P30,000.” So, kung mataas ang morale ng mga unipormado, ngayon naman ay demoralized iyong mga sibilyan, Mme. Speaker, Mr. Sponsor.

So, iyon po ang isang concern natin na parang may injustice po kung iiwanan natin. Hindi po natin sinasabi na huwag nating itaas iyong suweldo ng mga unipormado, pero ang concern natin dito ay iyong iiwanan natin, iyong civilian bureaucracy. Iyon po ang concern natin, one, if we’re talking of market terms, market distortion. Aba ngayon, kunwari, ako nag-graduate ng high school at mag-iisip na ako ng career path ko, kukuha pa ba ako ng education? Mag-a-apply ako bilang teacher na ang suweldo ko ay P20,000 a month, o magpa-private na lang ako, hindi ko na kailangan mag-college, tapos P29,000 a month kaagad.

So, ito iyong una. Pangalawa, iyon ngang demoralization on the part of the civilian bureaucracy. May pagtingin na, yes, mahalaga iyong ginagawa ng pulis at militar. Hindi ba mahalaga rin iyong ginagawa ng teacher, ng nurse, ng mga utility worker, ng mga clerk, ng mga accountant, ng mga engineer and so on and so forth? Mme. Speaker, Mr. Chair, paano naman po sila?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Mme. Speaker, legally speaking, mayroon kasing reasonable classification dito because, again, gaya ng binabanggit ng ating kagalang-galang na Representante ng ACT TEACHERS, madi-distinguish mo agad iyong men in the military and other uniformed personnel mula sa civilian component. Mayroon po tayong reasonable classification between the two, sabihin natin, groups or sectors.

Ngayon, adding to this reasonable classification is, iyon na nga, sa market distortion, hindi rin kasi natin puwede sabihin na equivalent or puwedeng mag-apply ang market distortion dito dahil nga po iyong

sa civilian component, mayroon din po silang mga private counterparts. So, sabihin natin sa teacher, ang teacher puwede siya sa gobyerno or puwede siya sa private school. Pagdating naman sa military and other uniformed personnel—police, military— wala pong equivalent na private iyan na sektor. Isa lang po iyan, government lang po iyan.

So, ito na nga po because mayroon tayong reasonable classification between the two sectors, then, it can be treated differently. Kapag sinabi kasi natin na Philippine National Police, military, iba po kasi iyong hazards ng kanilang trabaho. Ang hazard nila ay talagang every day that they are in the field, they are exposed to the dangers of their occupation, which means danger to life and limb. So, maaari po talaga nating mahiwalay or ma-classify as a separate class itong military and other uniformed personnel.

I do not believe market distortion is applicable in this case. Bagamat puwede tayong sumubok na i-compare iyong iba’t ibang ranggo ng military, pati mga Philippine National Police doon sa, kumbaga, counterpart niya sa civilian component, hindi po iyan apples to apples ang pagtugma diyan, dahil nga po ibang sektor talaga iyong sa civilian, ibang sector din po iyong sa military and other uniformed personnel. Puwedeng gawing some sort of basis pero hindi talaga iyan puwedeng itugma at mag-one-to-one correspondence or comparison ka sa isang bahagi kumpara doon sa kabilang panig o klasipikasyon.

REP. TINIO. Well, Mme. Speaker, sa totoo lang, sa palagay ko, actually, with the House Joint Resolution No. 18, mukhang inaabandona na ng Duterte Administration, ng DBM, ng Sponsor, iyong certain core principles of the Salary Standardization Law, ano. Hindi ko po pinagtatanggol ang Salary Standardization Law. Ina-articulate ko lang iyong pagkakaintindi ko doon sa rationale nito at dito, more or less, ang pinagbabatayan noong standardization ay mga objective criteria. For example, academic qualifications or other qualifications, skills, and so on and so forth. Mga objective criteria po iyan kaya po, more or less, in fact, pinapantay iyong, in the most recent SSL, hinabol iyong suweldo ng police, PO1, sa teacher kasi sabi nila, more or less, roughly equivalent in terms of professional qualifications ang mga ito. So, iyong SSL, iyong standardization dito ay nakabatay sa objective criteria.

Ngayon, kaya sinabi kong tinatalikuran na iyan dahil iyong binabanggit na criteria ng kagalang-galang na Sponsor, hindi na iyan objective, subjective, e sabihing, “Well, kasi itong mga profession na ito: One, they are unique. Two, you know, sumusuong sila araw-araw sa panganib, and so on and so forth, kaya kailangang pahalagahan natin ito at ang pagpapahalaga natin ay quantified through these salaries.”

Of course, puwede naman—you could also argue


na, “Hindi. Kapag ganyan ang usapin, aba, iyong teacher, hindi ba mahalaga para sa lipunan ang kanyang ginagawa?” Sabi nga nila, magkakaroon ba tayo ng sundalo, ng pulis, kung walang teacher? Iyong mga nurse, iyong mga doktor, aba ay kung wala ang mga ito—you know, buhay at kalusugan ng mamamayang Pilipino ang pinag-uusapan dito. So, mukhang isa pong—hindi po ba, ganoon na, G. Isponsor, parang tinatalikuran na natin? As I said, hindi ko po ipinagtatanggol ang SSL pero in many ways, sa palagay ko, this can provide an opening kung totally tatalikuran na natin iyong SSL. Aba ay kung maitataas po iyan, aba ay puwede rin nating itaas based on other factors than the current criteria ang suweldo ng iba pang mga kawani ng gobyerno.

SUSPENSION OF CONSIDERATION OF H. JT. RES. NO. 18

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, to give way to some important matters of collective privilege, I move to suspend the consideration of House Joint Resolution No. 18.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). Is there any objection? (Silence) The Chair hears none; the motion is approved. The interpellation is hereby suspended.

The Majority Leader is recognized.REP. GONZALES (A.P.). Mme. Speaker, before we

call on the next interpellator, may we first acknowledge the presence of the guests of the honorable Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez in the gallery. They are the boys and girls—officials from the City of Manila, namely: Carlo Jay Manalo, Abi Adino Francisco, Laurenz Alibuyog, James Benedict Cuesta, Ray Silvestre Biñas, Joshua Edward Lasap and Ferdinand L. Sanchez II.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). We welcome the youths from the City of Manila to the House of Representatives. (Applause)

REP. GONZALES (A.P.). Also, may we acknowledge the presence of the guests of the Reps. Henry S. Oaminal and Sabiniano S. Canama. They are from the Governor Alfonso D. Tan College in Tangub City, led by their Vice Presidents, Dr. Maricelle Nueva, Mrs. Bellaflor Fernandez, Ms. Love Falloran, and the rest of the delegation, namely: Fritzie An Florida, Niel Enerio, Elaine Bandigan, Marites Alota, Herbert Magsayo, Elisea Lorenton, Ilyn Daguman, Engr. Erwin Lacpao, Jayken Tancogo, Babylin Mina, Jaymar Requina, Jevanie Caruana, Jennifer Tia, Romar Migrinio, Kee Jay Pondoc, Margaret Ugnit, Mark Lester Flores, Ecel Pabillaran, Noriel Erap, Helen Manaloto, Zenmar Clam, Stephen Jay Mondong and Joseph Oniot.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). To the guests of Congressmen Oaminal and Canama, welcome to the House of Representatives. (Applause)

REP. GONZALES (A.P.) . May we also acknowledge the presence, lastly, of the guests of the Hon. Ann K. Hofer. They are Dr. Nick Kachiroubas, he is an Associate Teaching Professor from De Paul University in Chicago, Illinois; and Mr. Ralph Emerson Degollacion, he is the Project Manager of the Health Justice Philippines.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). To the guests of Asst. Majority Leader Ann Hofer, welcome to the House of Representatives. (Applause)

CONSIDERATION OF H. JT. RES. NO. 18Continuation

PERIOD OF SPONSORSHIP AND DEBATE

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we resume the consideration of House Joint Resolution No. 18 and resume the interpellation thereon.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). Is there any objection? (Silence) The Chair hears none; the motion is granted. We resume with the interpellation.

REP. DEFENSOR. To continue with the sponsorship, Mme. Speaker, again, I move that we recognize the distinguished Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, the Hon. Karlo Nograles.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). Congressman Karlo Nograles is hereby recognized to resume with his sponsorship.

REP. DEFENSOR. To continue with the interpellation, Mme. Speaker, again, I move that we recognize the Hon. Antonio Tinio.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). The Honorable Tinio is recognized.

REP. TINIO. Maraming salamat, Mme. Speaker. Mme. Speaker, matanong ko lang po kung ready na iyong datos na hiningi natin kanina kaugnay sa PBB amount in the 2017 GAA?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Well, Mme. Speaker, iyong sa performance-based bonus in 2017, the amount allocated was P16.6 billion.

REP. TINIO. All right, so, it is P16.6 billion for


2017 and then, P11 billion for 2018. So, nabawasan po ng higit kumulang ng limang bilyong piso.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Opo. Mme. Speaker, if I may, ang naging basis po ng reduction is, number one, by the name itself, kasi performance-based bonus, it is, you know, based on performance, meaning to say, there are indicators, there are some accomplishments, there are some criteria that have to be fulfilled before the performance-based bonus is released.

So, ang naging experience po natin sa performance-based bonus in terms of utilization po is that, for example, sa 2017, as of August 31, 2017, ang nagamit lang po sa performance-based bonus was P2.3 billion. Tapos itong November 30, 2017, ang nagamit, so far, was only P4.3 billion out of the P16.6 billion. Ito po iyong naging basis natin for reducing iyong performance-based bonus kasi in terms of its utilization rate, hindi naman ganoong kalaki ang kinakailangan, na uulitin natin iyong P16.6 billion ng 2017. Gawa na ang utilization ay hindi naman ganoong kalaki, kaya minabuti na lang po natin na bawasan ito sa 2018 para naman po mapunta sa ibang programa pa na mas mabilis ang utilization. Based on our experience, hindi rin naman—iyong P11 billion ay sapat na po ito for 2018 in terms of utilization ng performance-based bonus, Mme. Speaker.

REP. TINIO. Well, una, iyong utilization for the current year, iyong relatively low utilization for 2017 is because maraming mga ahensiya ay hindi pa tapos iyong proseso. I will cite DepEd and in fact, iyong DepEd, mukhang 2018 pa ibibigay iyong para sa taong ito, so, in other words, kaya mababa pa iyan. Pangalawa, and we established this during the budget deliberations, in fact, pinaliit na ng DBM iyong amount for PBB, at sabi po sa Executive Order No. 201, dapat po by, if not this year then next year, one-month salary minimum to two months’ salary maximum na ang PBB. That is stated in Executive Order 201 and yet, in the guidelines released by the DBM, ginawa na lang po nilang 50 to 65 percent iyong rates, so, ni-reduce iyong PBB. So, kaya po, this is my point and in fact, this is why I make the conclusion that part of the funding for House Joint Resolution No. 18, iyong P63 billion na iyan, will actually come from this reduction in the PBB of all civilian personnel. Whether sabihin mo na hindi naman diretso iyan, and so on and so forth, that is the fact. May mas malaking benepisyo na sinasabi ang batas, hindi ito ibinigay, tapos papaliitin pa nga sa 2018. So, gusto kong ilagay sa record iyon, Mme. Speaker.

Ngayon, Mme. Speaker, I think naipahayag ko na ang mga mahahalagang punto kaugnay nito, na sa isang banda, natutuwa tayo—hindi pa pala, bago ako mag wind up, Mme. Speaker, may isang mahalagang punto pa pala akong naisip na siguro ay kailangan din

nating banggitin ang mas malawak na konteksto kung saan ipinatutupad or nais ipatupad ang House Joint Resolution No. 18 o ang pagdodoble ng suweldo ng pulis at militar. Hindi po ordinaryo ang panahon natin ngayon sa ilalim ng Duterte administration.

Bakit ko po nasabing hindi ordinaryo? Una, nasa ilalim ng martial law ang isang malaking bahagi ng Pilipinas. Ang buong Mindanao, nananatili pa sa martial law iyan. Tapos, may banta si Pangulong Duterte na nais pa nga niyang ilagay ang buong Pilipinas sa ilalim ng martial law. Tapos, labas sa bantang iyan, nagbabanggit din siya na hindi na lang martial law, revolutionary government ang gusto na niya. Ibig sabihin, isasantabi na natin ang Konstitusyon at sa katunayan, kasama diyan iyong pagsasantabi sa Kongreso. Ang lahat ng kapangyarihan, executive and legislative, mapupunta sa Presidente. Of course, lately, sinabi ni Pangulong Duterte, lalo pa at pumalpak iyong mga supposedly nationwide rallies na magpapakita daw sana ng malawak na suporta para sa revolutionary government pero pumalpak po, nakita naman natin na halos walang turn-out ang mga ito, so inatras po.

Ang punto, Mme. Speaker, babanggitin ko pa iyong karagdagang konteksto—ang pag-terminate sa peace talks through Presidential Proclamation No. 360. Tapos, kamakailan lang, iyong bagong proclamation declaring the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization. Ibig pong sabihin nito, as far as the Duterte administration is concerned, the political solution, the peace process, is already out of the question. Mukhang ang magiging approach, dahil idineklara silang terorista, ang magiging approach is a purely military solution. Dagdag na konteksto pa—ibabalik o ibinalik na ang drug war sa Philippine National Police. So, kung noong panahon na inilipat ito sa PDEA ay nakita natin ang pagtigil noong maramihang “Tokhang” at extrajudicial killing ng mga ordinaryong drug users and small-time pushers, maaaring babalik na ito dahil ibabalik na muli sa PNP ang lead role sa drug war.

Ang punto ko po, ito iyong isang partikularidad ng Duterte administration, iyong napakahalagang papel, para sa kanyang administrasyon, ng pulis at ng militar. Napansin naman natin si Pangulong Duterte, halos linggo-linggo umiikot sa mga kampo ng militar at nagtatalumpati roon. So, malinaw iyong mahalagang papel ng militar at pulis sa kasalukuyang takbo ng Duterte administration at sa mga ipinapahiwatig na plano, whether it is nationwide martial law or even revolutionary government, na alam naman nating hindi naman iyan matutuloy kung walang suporta ng pulis at lalo na ng militar.

Kaya po, hindi po ba isang dahilan din, Mme. Speaker at G. Isponsor, kung bakit agad-agarang ipinapasa itong pagdodoble ng suweldo na nagtatangi lamang sa pulis at militar, ay dahil gustong kunin ni Pangulong Duterte ang suporta ng pulis at militar para sa kanyang paghahari?


REP. NOGRALES (K.). Well, unang-una sa lahat, Mme. Speaker, gusto ko lang, nais ko lang klaruhin na wala naman sa administrasyong ito ang nagsasabing pro-revolutionary government po tayo. Wala naman tayong sinasabi na magre-revolutionary government po tayo. Kung mayroon mang nasabi na something similar to that, ito iyong maaaring nasabi na itong revolutionary o itong rebolusyon ay mangyayari kung magkakaroon na nga ng malawakang paggulo dito sa ating bansa but, you know, wala namang nagsasabi na magkakaroon ng revolutionary government. Siguro, mayroong ibang mga sektor na nagsasabi niyan pero hindi po naman—itong administrasyon na ito ay hindi naman nagsasabi, na parang sinasabi na, “you revolt against me,” hindi po. It does not make sense na magre-revolt ka against sa iyong sarili. So, nais ko lang pong liwanagin iyan.

Iyong pagbibigay ng konteksto, para sa akin, Mme. Speaker, with all due respect sa ating kagalang-galang na Representante ng ACT TEACHERS, let us not take things out of context. Ang ginagawa ng administrasyong ito ay, ito ay trabaho po ng kahit sino man. Ang administrasyon—ito po ay trabaho ng gobyerno, iyong labanan ang terorismo, labanan ang rebelyon, ang paggamit ng martial law kapag kinakailangan. Kahit sinong administrasyon ang nagpapatakbo ng gobyerno, ito po ay mga options na maaaring gamitin ng gobyerno; tulad ng martial law, maaaring gamitin ng gobyerno as self-defense niya at iyan naman po ay ibinibigay ng ating Konstitusyon. Iyong paglaban kontra sa terorismo at kontra sa rebelyon, trabaho po iyan ng gobyerno. So, huwag po siguro natin masyadong basahin ito na nawawala na talaga tayo, that we are taking it out of context, wala pong ganyang klaseng relasyon, ano.

Siguro, kagaya ng sinabi ko, worldwide ano, nararamdaman natin, wherever we are in the world, wherever you are in the world, whether in Europe or America, itong mga acts of terrorism ay nagiging widespread na po. That is really the reason—because of the increase in danger sa life and limb ng ating mga kapulisan at ng ating mga kasundaluhan ay minabuti at dinisisyunan ng ating administrasyon na dagdagan na nga po ang base salary ng ating mga military and other uniformed personnel.

REP. TINIO. Thank you for that, Mme. Speaker. Well, una, isang reaksiyon lang sa isang statement ng kagalang-galang na Sponsor. As far as I know, ang narinig ko at, I think, the public and on the record ito, iyong option ng revolutionary government ay kay Pangulong Duterte mismo nanggaling iyan. Ito ang tanong ko, yamang mayroon na pong nakatabi, nakalaan na P64.2 billion sa proposed 2018 budget, magiging bukas po ba ang Sponsor, bilang pagkilala sa pangangailangan, sa kagipitan ng nakararaming mga kawani ng gobyerno, lalo na iyong mga rank and file,

iyong mga Salary Grade 1, Salary Grade 11—kasi po iyong mga higher salary grades sa ilalim ng kasalukuyang salary standardization na ipinatutupad, actually, very generous na iyong kanilang mga increase. So, bilang pagkilala sa katuwiran ng panawagan na dagdagan pa ang suweldo ng mga ordinaryong kawani ng gobyerno, bilang pagkilala rin sa kahalagahan ng serbisyo na kanilang ibinibigay sa mamamayang Pilipino—so, bukod sa sakripisyo at serbisyo ng mga sundalo, pulis at iba pang unipormado, iyong pagkilala rin sa serbisyo at sakripisyo ng mga public school teacher, nurse, doktor, lawyer, utility worker, clerk, accountant at iba pa, lahat ng nagpapatakbo po sa gobyerno, magiging bukas po ba ang ating Sponsor kung iyong P64 billion na iyan, sa halip na ibigay lahat para sa kagyat na pagdodoble ng suweldo ng pulis at militar, ay ilaan natin para sa lahat ng government employees?

In other words, puwede pong doblehin, kung iyong P64 billion na iyan ay ilalaan natin para sa buong bureaucracy, civilian and military, sa halip na P500 a month lang ang maaasahan ng maraming mga government employees na increase, puwedeng mas malaki po, lalo pa kung iyong increase ay ibibigay natin doon sa rank and file.

So, maaaring hindi lang P500 a month, puwedeng maging P2,000 a month, P3,000 a month for the lower-ranking employees, at in fact, iyan po ang alternative proposal namin. Magiging bukas po ba ang Sponsor sa ganoong panukala, alang-alang po sa interes ng lahat ng kawani ng gobyerno?

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, this is just to graciously remind our interpellator and the Chair that the one hour allotted to every Member for debate has just expired.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). Yes. Will the Honorable Tinio please wind up.

REP. TINIO. Yes. I had a question, so I would just like to wait for a reply.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). Thank you.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). I leave it to the discretion of Congress as a whole, kasi isa lang po ako dito at gaya ng ginagawa natin para maaprubahan itong salary increase ng ating mga sundalo at mga kapulisan, kinailangan po nating pumasa ng isang Joint Resolution, at kasama po diyan iyong House, pati iyong Senate. Intindihin po natin na ito ay dumaan sa isang proseso kung saan pati iyong Ehekutibo, isinama natin doon sa kanilang pag-compute kung magkano ba ang pag-increase, mabusising pag-aaral kung ano iyong kayang abutin at kayang gastusin ng


gobyerno, given our revenues at ang levels natin sa budget. So, dumaan po iyan sa proseso kaya, gaya ng sinabi ko, ito po ay magiging isang desisyon, na hindi ko gagawin na ako lang mag-isa kundi ito ay dedesisyunan po ng buong Kongreso, ang House at ang Senate, at siyempre dapat kasama rin natin ang pag-coordinate dito ang Ehekutibo.

REP. TINIO. Mme. Speaker, maraming salamat po. Tumayo po ako rito upang bigyang boses ang panawagan ng lahat ng mga kawani ng gobyerno, militar at sibilyan, unipormado at sibilyan, at ang ipinaglalaban po natin ay bigyan po ng disenteng suweldo ang lahat ng kawani ng gobyerno. May pondo na po, may P62 billion. Ang panawagan po natin ay, sa halip na isang sektor lang, bigyan po ng substantial increase ang lahat ng kawani ng gobyerno, lalo na ang rank-and- file employees, including our utility workers, clerks, public school teachers, nurses at iba pa. Ang hamon po ngayon ay nasa Kongreso na. Sana po, dinggin at suportahan ng mga kasamahan ko sa Kongreso ang hinaing ng lahat ng ating mga kawani ng gobyerno.

Maraming salamat po, Mme. Speaker. Maraming salamat, G. Isponsor.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Maraming salamat din po, Mme. Speaker, sa ating kagalang-galang na Tinio.


SUSPENSION OF CONSIDERATION OF H. JT. RES. NO. 18

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we suspend the consideration of House Joint Resolution No. 18.


CONSIDERATION OF H.B. NO. 6707ON SECOND READING


REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we consider House Bill No. 6707, contained in Committee Report No. 488, as reported out by the Committee on Legislative Franchises.





THE SECRETARY GENERAL. House Bill No. 6707, entitled: AN ACT EXTENDING FOR ANOTHER TWENTY-FIVE (25) YEARS THE FRANCHISE GRANTED TO RAVEN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8084, ENTITLED “AN ACT GRANTING RAVEN BROADCASTING CORPORATION A FRANCHISE TO CONSTRUCT, MAINTAIN, AND OPERATE RADIO AND TELEVISION BROADCASTING STATIONS WITHIN LUZON AND OTHER AREAS IN THE PHILIPPINES WHERE FREQUENCIES AND/OR CHANNELS ARE STILL AVAILABLE FOR RADIO AND TELEVISION BROADCASTING.”


REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we open the period of sponsorship and debate.


The period of sponsorship and debate on House Bill No. 6707 is hereby opened.

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we recognize the distinguished Chairman of the Committee on Legislative Franchises, the Hon. Franz “Chicoy” E. Alvarez, to sponsor the measure.


The Hon. Franz Alvarez is hereby recognized to sponsor the measure.

REP. DEFENSOR. For this measure, Mme. Speaker, I move that the Explanatory Note of the Bill be considered as the sponsorship speech on the measure.




REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, there being no Member who wishes to interpellate or speak against the measure, I move that we close the period of sponsorship and debate.


REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we open the period of amendments. However, there being no Committee or individual amendments, I move that we close the same.


REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we approve on Second Reading House Bill No. 6707.

VIVA VOCE VOTING


As many as are in favor, please say aye.

SEVERAL MEMBERS. Aye.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). As many as are against, please say nay. (Silence)

APPROVAL OF H.B. NO. 6707ON SECOND READING

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). The ayes have it; the motion is approved.

House Bill No. 6707 is approved on Second Reading.

CONSIDERATION OF H.B. NO. 6708ON SECOND READING


REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we consider House Bill No. 6708, contained in Committee Report No. 489, as reported out by the Committee on Legislative Franchises.





THE SECRETARY GENERAL. House Bill No. 6708, entitled: AN ACT EXTENDING FOR ANOTHER TWENTY-FIVE (25) YEARS THE FRANCHISE GRANTED TO ADVANCED MEDIA BROADCASTING SYSTEM, INC., UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8061, ENTITLED “AN ACT GRANTING THE ADVANCED MEDIA BROADCASTING SYSTEM, INC. A FRANCHISE TO CONSTRUCT, INSTALL, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN RADIO AND TELEVISION BROADCASTING STATIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES.”


REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we open the period of sponsorship and debate.


The period of sponsorship and debate on House Bill No. 6708 is hereby opened.

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, again to sponsor the measure, I move that we recognize the Hon. Franz Alvarez, Chairman of the Committee on Legislative Franchises.


The Hon. Franz Alvarez is hereby recognized to sponsor the measure.

REP. DEFENSOR. For this measure, Mme. Speaker, I also move that the Explanatory Note of the Bill be considered as the sponsorship speech on the measure.


REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, there being no Member who wishes to interpellate or speak against the measure, I move that we close the period of sponsorship and debate.





REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we open the period of amendments.


The period of amendments is hereby opened.

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, however, there being no Committee or individual amendments, I move that we close the period of amendments.


The period of amendments is hereby closed. REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we

approve on Second Reading House Bill No. 6708.

VIVA VOCE VOTING


As many as are in favor, please say aye.

SEVERAL MEMBERS. Aye.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). As many as are against, please say nay. (Silence)

APPROVAL OF H.B. NO. 6708ON SECOND READING

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). The ayes have it; the motion is approved.

House Bill No. 6708 is approved on Second Reading.

CONSIDERATION OF H. RES. NO. 1463

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we consider House Bill No. 1463, contained in Committee Report No. 481, as reported out by the Committee on Tourism.





THE SECRETARY GENERAL. House Resolution No. 1463, entitled: A RESOLUTION STRONGLY URGING HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE, TO RENEW THE POLICY WHICH GRANTS TRAVEL TAX EXEMPTION TO TRAVELLERS DEPARTING FROM ALL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS AND SEAPORTS IN MINDANAO AND PALAWAN TO ANY DESTINATION IN THE BRUNEI DARUSSALAM-INDONESIA-MALAYSIA-PHILIPPINES - EAST ASEAN GROWTH AREA (BIMP-EAGA).

ADOPTION OF H. RES. NO. 1463

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we adopt House Resolution No. 1463.


House Resolution No. 1463 is adopted.

RATIFICATION OF CONF. CTTEE. RPT.ON H.B. NO. 4863 AND S.B. NO. 1239

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, we are in receipt of the Conference Committee Report reconciling the disagreeing provisions of House Bill No. 4863 and Senate Bill No. 1239.

May I ask that the Secretary General be directed to read only the titles of the measures.


The Secretary General is directed to read only the titles of the measures.

With the permission of the Body, and since copies of the Conference Committee Report have been previously distributed, the Secretary General read only the titles of the measures without prejudice to inserting the text of the report in the Congressional Record.

THE SECRETARY GENERAL. House Bill No. 4863, entitled: AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE



PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE-CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AND DETECTION GROUP (PNP-CIDG) BY RESTORING ITS AUTHORITY TO ISSUE SUBPOENA AD TESTIFICANDUM OR SUBPOENA DUCES TECUM, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 35 (B)(4) OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6975, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT OF 1990”; and Senate Bill No. 1239, entitled: AN ACT GRANTING THE CHIEF OF THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE (PNP) AND THE DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AND DETECTION GROUP (CIDG) THE AUTHORITY TO ADMINISTER OATH AND TO ISSUE SUBPOENA AND SUBPOENA DUCES TECUM, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6975, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (DILG) ACT OF 1990.

REP. DEFENSOR. I move that we ratify the said Bicameral Conference Committee Report.


The Bicameral Conference Committee Report is ratified.

SUSPENSION OF SESSION REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move for a

suspension of the session. THE DEPUTYSPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano).

The session is suspended. It was 5:30 p.m.

RESUMPTION OF SESSION At 5:32 p.m., the session was resumed. THE DEPUTYSPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano).

The session is resumed. The Majority Leader is recognized.

CONSIDERATION OF H. RES. NO. 1418

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we consider House Resolution No. 1418, contained in Committee Report No. 460, as reported out by the Committee on Tourism.





THE SECRETARY GENERAL. House Resolution No. 1418, entitled: A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM (DOT), THROUGH THE TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENTERPRISE ZONE AUTHORITY (TIEZA), TO ALLOCATE FUNDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC RESTROOMS ALONG THE EASTERN AND WESTERN NAUTICAL HIGHWAYS OF THE PHILIPPINES.


REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, to sponsor this

Resolution, I move that we recognize the Chairperson of the Committee on Tourism, the Hon. Lucy T. Gomez.

THE DEPUTYSPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano).

Is there any objection? (Silence) The Chair hears none; the motion is approved.

The Hon. Lucy Torres Gomez is hereby recognized to sponsor the Resolution.

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, so as to

introduce the amendments of the Committee, I move that we open the period of amendments.

THE DEPUTYSPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano).


The period of amendments is hereby opened.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS REP. DEFENSOR. This is to introduce the

following Committee amendments on House Resolution No. 1418:

1. On the first “WHEREAS” clause, between the acronym “(RRTS)” and the words “to observe,” to insert



the phrase ALONG THE WESTERN AND EASTERN NAUTICAL HIGHWAYS AND, SUBSEQUENTLY, A SIX-DAY LAND TRAVEL THROUGH CENTRAL AND NORTH LUZON;

2. Likewise, on the first “WHEREAS” clause, between the word “system” and the conjunction “of,” to delete the phrase “along the western and eastern nautical highways”;

3. On the second “WHEREAS” clause, to insert a comma (,) after the word “Sorsogon” and add the following phrase: WHILE THE INSPECTION TEAM TRAVERSED THROUGH THE PROVINCES OF PAMPANGA, TARLAC, LA UNION, ILOCOS SUR, ILOCOS NORTE, CAGAYAN, ISABELA, NUEVA VIZCAYA, IFUGAO, BENGUET, PANGASINAN, AND FINALLY BATAAN TO COMPLETE THE CENTRAL AND NORTH LUZON INSPECTION;

4. On the third “WHEREAS” clause after the word “WHEREAS,” to insert the phrase DURING ITS REST STOPS;

5. Dele te the resolutory c lause and in lieu thereof, to substitute the following: NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, TO REQUEST THE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM (DOT), THROUGH THE TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENTERPRISE ZONE AUTHORITY (TIEZA), TO ALLOCATE FUNDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC RESTROOMS IN ALL HIGHWAY SYSTEMS IN THE PHILIPPINES; and

6. Finally, to amend the title of the Resolution to read as follows: A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM (DOT), THROUGH THE TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE A N D E N T E R P R I S E Z O N E A U T H O R I T Y (TIEZA), TO ALLOCATE FUNDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC RESTROOMS IN ALL HIGHWAY SYSTEMS IN THE PHILIPPINES.

Mme. Speaker, may we know if these Committee amendments as proposed are well in order on the part of our Sponsor.

REP. GOMEZ. Yes, Mme. Speaker.


REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move for the approval of the Committee amendments as submitted.


The said amendments are hereby approved.

ADOPTION OF H. RES. NO. 1418, AS AMENDED

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we adopt House Resolution No. 1418, as amended.


House Resolution No. 1418, as amended, is adopted.


CONSIDERATION OF H. JT. RES. NO.18Continuation


REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we resume the consideration of House Joint Resolution No. 18 and again, I move that we please direct our Secretary General to read only the title of this measure.


The Secretary General is so directed.

THE SECRETARY GENERAL. House Joint Resolution No. 18, entitled: JOINT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INCREASE IN BASE PAY OF MILITARY AND UNIFORMED PERSONNEL IN THE GOVERNMENT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.


REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, the parliamentary status is that we are in the period of sponsorship and debate. For this purpose, Mme. Speaker, I move that we, again, recognize the distinguished Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, the Hon. Karlo Nograles.


The Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations is hereby recognized.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Thank you, Mme. Speaker. We are ready to answer any question.

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, next to interpellate is the Gentleman from MAGDALO, the Hon. Gary C. Alejano. I move that he be recognized.


THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). The Hon. Gary Alejano from the Party-List MAGDALO is hereby recognized.

REP. ALEJANO. Maraming salamat po, Mme. Speaker, sa ating mga kasamahan dito ngayon and to the Mme. Speaker, magandang hapon po.

Unang-una po, nais kong i-congratulate ang ating Chairman ng Appropriations Committee, the Hon. Karlo Nograles, sa kanyang pagpupunyagi upang isulong ang pagtaas ng sahod ng ating mga kasundaluhan at kapulisan and all other uniformed sectors.

Before I ask some questions or clarification, I would like also to manifest that I support Joint Resolution No. 18. Noong nakaraang Kongreso po ay nag-file ang Kinatawan ng MAGDALO ng Salary Standardization Law IV at ang purpose for nito, na maliban sa itaas ang morale ng ating mga kasundaluhan at kapulisan, ay gusto nating gawin po itong anti-corruption measure dahil kailangan po na itaas significantly ang sahod na natatanggap ng ating mga kawani ng gobyerno, hindi lamang po sa military and uniformed personnel. Ito po ay para sa lahat ng kawani ng gobyerno because it is very hard sometimes for the government people to stay focused on their jobs if they cannot afford to feed their family at home.

So, dahil po sa komplikasyon ng probisyon ng batas, PD 1638, na ito ay nagpo-provide na kung saan mayroon pong indexation provision na kapag tumaas po ang base pay ng military and uniformed personnel, mayroon po itong kaakibat na pagtaas sa base pay ng ating mga retirado o mga beterano, subalit, hindi po nagkaroon ng agreement ang House of Representatives at ang Senado, kaya po hindi naipasa ang batas.

To substitute that proposed bill ay nagkaroon po ng Executive Order No. 201 upang isulong pa rin ang pagtaas ng sahod ng kawani ng gobyerno, subalit sa bahagi po ng military and uniformed personnel ay maliwanag na nakalagay doon na allowance lamang ang itataas sa kanila. Bakit po allowance lamang? Ito ay para hindi ito magkaroon ng effect o ma-trigger ang provision ng indexation provision ng PD 1638 kaya, in effect, hindi po nagkaroon ng increase ang ating mga retirado.

In the past, ito na rin po ang hinaing ng ating mga retirado na kung saan ay nagkaroon ng arrears, pension arrears, ang gobyerno or utang ng gobyerno sa ating mga retirado dahil ang mga nakaraang increases ay hindi po pinondohan iyong equivalent na increase sa mga retirado. Kaya nga nagkautang ang gobyerno at dahan-dahan po ito binabayaran pero hanggang ngayon po, mayroong utang ang gobyerno sa ating mga retirado. Ngayon po ay halos 130,000 na po ang ating mga retirado, halos kapantay na ng aktibo nating mga sundalo. Ito ay sa bahagi lamang ng ating Armed Forces of the Philippines. Sila po, dahil retirado na, ay

talagang matatanda na po at nangangailangan na ho sila, lalong-lalo na, ng medical attention, iyong mga pag-mentina ng kanilang kalusugan, at alam ho natin na kapag tumatanda tayo ay marami na pong sakit na lumalabas and, of course, isama po natin ang rising inflation na kung saan ay tumataas po ang halaga ng mga bilihin.

Gusto ko pang i-clarify sa ating Sponsor, dahil nakalagay po dito sa Joint Resolution No. 8, specifically providing for the suspension of the indexation provision for the military or the retirees when it comes to the increase in base pay of the active. Napag-aralan po ba itong mungkahi in spite of the fact na napakalaki po, at naging kontrobersiyal na provision po ito noong nakaraang increase?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Well, Mme. Speaker, gusto ko rin pong ipaliwanag sa ating kagalang-galang na Representative ng MAGDALO Party-List na ito nga po ang suspension ng application ng pension indexation. Bagamat nandito iyan sa ating House Joint Resolution No. 18 na pinag-uusapan natin ngayon, e, pinag-iisipan na rin po ng ating mga authors, Sponsors, ang leadership ng House of Representatives, ng Kongreso, pati na rin ng DBM, kino-consider na rin po natin itong hinaing at itong panawagan ng ating mga retirado na bigyan naman natin sila—pagbigyan naman natin sila doon sa kanilang hinihiling na dagdag din doon sa pension system. Kaya minabuti natin Mme. Speaker, na itong suspension ng application ng pension indexation, gagawin nating temporary lamang at para maliwanag po na tayo po ay sinsero sa ating gustong gawin na taasan din iyong pension ng ating mga retirado. At the proper moment, Mme. Speaker, the Committee on Appropriations will be willing to accept an amendment to improve the provision on the pension indexation.

We are amenable, Mme. Speaker, at the proper moment to change the wordings para iyong application of pension indexation will only be a temporary suspension for a period of about one year, and pending the review of the current pension system of military and uniformed personnel by the Legislative and Executive Branches of government, pag-aaralan po kung ano ang pinakamabuting pension system that will be sustainable and equitable, and gagawa po tayo ng isang Pension Reform Law. So, at the proper moment, we shall be accepting an amendment to the House Joint Resolution that will make the suspension of the pension indexation temporary, for only a period of up to January 1, 2019 or upon the effectivity of a new Pension Reform Law, whichever will come earlier.

REP. ALEJANO. Maraming salamat po sa pagiging bukas ng ating Sponsor, subalit, kaklaruhin ko po ulit ito. Ang ibig sabihin ho ay magiging bukas ang Sponsor na instead na dalawang taon, 2018 at


2019, as proposed here in the House Joint Resolution, ay puwede pong magkaroon ng pagkakataon na ang ating mga retirado ay masama sa pag-increase sa pangalawang taon which is January 1, 2019. Tama po ba ang aking pagkaintindi?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Iyong sinasabi po ng ating kagalang-galang na Representative ng MAGDALO Party-List, siyempre, ay kasama po iyan dito sa ating pagsusuri at pag-aaral ng bagong Pension Reform Law and so, it will be something that we will be considering when we craft the Pension Reform Law, siyempre, taking into consideration iyong ating budget, magkano ang maa-afford natin na pension system. So, in the meantime, Mme. Speaker, isu-suspend po natin but with the guaranty na by January 1, 2019, kung wala po tayong Pension Reform Law na maipasa, mali-lift po iyong suspension ng indexation. Iyong paggawa at pag-craft ng Pension Reform Law, iti-take into consideration po natin lahat ng bagay at kasama na rin po iyong sinasabi ng ating kagalang-galang na Representative ng MAGDALO Party-List.

REP. ALEJANO. Well, naintindihan po natin na lahat naman ay kailangang magkaroon ng pag-aaral, subalit, alam naman po natin na ang ating mga stakeholders o ang ating aktibo at mga retirado ay nagtatanong po, kaya nga mas maganda ho kung mayroong medyo maliwanag na tinitingnan in the future.

Dalawa po—kung magkaroon ng batas upang repormahin ang pension system sa ating military and uniformed personnel, at kung wala naman, ay pag-aralan kung masasama sila sa January 2019. So, pag-aaralan pa lamang kung masasama sila sa 2019 kasi alam ho natin na itong issue ng pension reform ay matagal na po itong problema. Actually, they termed this as a “ticking time bomb” and hanggang ngayon ho ay hindi pa rin nare-resolve and in fact, it is still being deliberated at the Committee level. So, kung sakali ay hindi po, finally, na magkaroon po tayo ng Pension Reform Law, ay ma-consider o pag-aralan na masama sila sa 2019 by lifting the suspension and the effect of lifting the suspension would be that the retired would be included in the 2019 portion of this Joint Resolution, Mme. Speaker, Mr. Sponsor.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Mme. Speaker, basta ang maliwanag po, para makita po ng ating mga retirado, by January 1 of 2019, magkakaroon po ng reporma sa pension system kaya nga po inilalagay natin ito na, it will be this suspension—ang magiging wording ng ating magiging amendment is that this suspension shall be automatically lifted on January 1, 2019 or upon the effectivity of a Pension Reform Law, whichever comes earlier. So, maaari rin pong maging mas maaga ang makikita nilang effect.

REP. ALEJANO. So, kapag sinabi po nating automatically lifted at the same time that the second tranche of this Joint Resolution would be in effect, ang sabi ko nga ho, masasama ho sila doon kasi you are lifting the suspension. In case we are not able to pass the needed Pension Reform Law, ang ibig sabihin ay automatic siyang mali-lift by January 1, 2019 and therefore, magkaroon ng epekto na masasama na ho sila dahil nili-lift ho natin ang suspension.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Opo, tama po iyon.

REP. ALEJANO. Salamat po. Para maintindihan ho natin ang extent ng consideration, maaari po bang matanong, if ever na hindi po na-suspend itong indexation provision, magkano ho ba ang amount na kakailanganin ng ating gobyerno kung hindi natin isu-suspend itong indexation provision of PD 1638?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Mme. Speaker, for 2018 alone, ang computation po ng DBM ay maaari pong umabot tayo ng P38 billion.

REP. ALEJANO. That is for the indexation provision alone.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). If the pension will be indexed to the base pay of active personnel, the proposed increase in base pay will have an additional cost of P38.45 billion for the pension of all MUP or military and uniformed personnel.

REP. ALEJANO. Maraming salamat po. So, malaki po itong ating iko-consider dahil P38.45 billion ang amount needed to support the indexation provision. Matanong ko na rin po, nakasama na po ba sa inyong consideration or computation ang kaakibat na pagtaas ng other pays ng mga MUP natin katulad po ng longevity pay, hazardous pay, jump pay, flying pay and other pays like instructor’s duty pay—nakasama na o na-consider na po ba sa pag-increase nitong January 1, 2018 itong mga pays that are connected to the raise in the base pay?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Yes, Mme. Speaker. In fact, mayroon po tayong breakdown dito doon sa magiging—in fact, sa breakdown, Mme. Speaker, makikita natin dito iyong increase ng kaniang monthly base pay, iyong PERA na matatanggap nila, iyong subsistence allowance, iyong clothing allowance, laundry allowance, quarters, hazard pay, tapos, wala na po iyong provisional allowance and officers’ allowance. Tapos, ang malaking magiging makikita nilang pagbabago, iyong mid-year bonus which is based on base pay, iyong longevity pay which is also based on base pay, pati iyong year-end bonus which is also based on base pay. Andito rin po sa breakdown, you will


also see the combat duty pay and combat incentive pay para sa mga qualified personnel. So, naka-breakdown po dito lahat.

REP. ALEJANO. Maraming salamat po. Sa aking pagkakaintindi, iyong ibang mga nabanggit katulad po ng combat duty pay, combat incentive pay at quarters allowance, hindi po iyan maaapektuhan ng pagtaas ng base pay dahil hindi po iyan naka-percentage doon sa kanilang base pay.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Yes, Mme. Speaker.

REP. ALEJANO. Maliban po doon sa longevity pay, instructor’s duty pay, sea duty pay, flying pay, naka-percentage po kasi iyan sa base pay and so, may kaakibat na paglaki iyon.


REP. ALEJANO. Just like the flying pay, 50 percent po iyan ng base pay and so, if you increase by P10,000 more ang base pay, magkakaroon ng effect iyan na P5,000 increase sa kanya dahil mayroon ho siyang flying pay bilang isang piloto.

So, iyan po iyong tinatanong ko dahil baka magkautang ho tayo—na na-increase ho natin ang base pay pero iyong effect naka-connect ho doon sa base pay ng pag-i-increase, ay may ibang pays pa ang ating mga sundalo.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Yes. Actually, kasama na rin po iyan sa computation, iyong makikita nating magiging effect po nito, iyong mga other pays na that are also dependent or naka-compute based doon sa base pay. Gusto ko lang din pong banggitin, Mme. Speaker, that, actually, iyong longevity pay is actually tax-exempt, ano po, pati iyong flying pay, sea duty pay, instructor’s duty pay—ito ay tinatawag na tax-exempt collateral allowances din. So, makikita natin, Mme. Speaker, na iyong magiging take-home ng ating mga kasundaluhan at mga kapulisan, ng mga military and other uniformed personnel, makikita po talaga nila, mararamdaman po talaga nila iyong karagdagan sa net take-home pay po nila.

Huwag po kayong mag-alala, Mme. Speaker, ating kagalang-galang na Representative ng MAGDALO Party-List, dahil lahat pong ito na-consider po doon sa pag-compute kung magkano po ang kinakailangan para ma-implement lahat po ito.

REP. ALEJANO. Maraming salamat po at narinig po natin na kasama po sa computation iyong all other pays that are indexed to the raise in the base pay.

Matanong ko lang po, Mme. Speaker, Mr. Sponsor, kung hindi po matuloy ang Joint Resolution o kung wala pong naihain na Joint Resolution, matutuloy po

iyong third tranche—ibig sabihin ay kasama po iyan sa 2018 budget. Ito nga, na-file na ang Joint Resolution kaya ibig sabihin ho ay mayroon na pong available na budget sa 2018 purposely intended for the third tranche of Executive Order No. 201. Then, matanong ko lang po kung magkano po ito at magkano rin po ang remaining amount na kailangang ipuno doon sa pondong intended for the third tranche of Executive Order No. 201? Ito ba ay nanggaling lamang sa MPBF o mayroon pang ibang pagkukunan na pondo?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Mme. Speaker, iyong sa pagpapatupad ng third tranche ng EO 201, na-distribute na po iyan per agency. So, hindi po sa MPBF iyong pagpapatupad ng Executive Order No. 201 dahil iyan po ay na-distribute na po sa different agencies kasi hindi lang naman military and other uniformed personnel ang magkakaroon ng increase sa Executive Order No. 201. Sa treatment natin sa budget, kung titingnan mo iyong budget, naka-lodge na po iyan sa different agencies, if we are talking of Executive Order No. 201.

REP. ALEJANO. Naiintindihan ko po dahil iyong ating topic ngayon ay sa MUP. Ibig sabihin, iyong kaakibat na amount para doon sa NUP ay ibinigay na po sa mga ahensiya like DND, DILG at NAMRIA. So, ibig sabihin ho, iyong amount na iyon, if you add all the amount of money allocated for the MUP, mayroon na po siya talaga for 2018 and on top of that, because kukunin ho natin iyan, we are going to repeal Executive Order No. 201 for the purpose of raising the base pay of MUP kasi magkakaroon ng provisional allowance ang ating mga sundalo coming from the third tranche.

Ngayon po, wala na po iyan, isasama na po iyan sa loob ng Joint Resolution No. 18. So, ang tinatanong ko po, kung walang Joint Resolution No. 18 ay mayroon na pong amount intended for third tranche of EO 201, mayroon na pong budget, I think it is around P60 billion. So, na-distribute sa iba-ibang ahensiya pero iyon po ay intended for the third tranche of all government officials, employees, including the MUP or military and uniformed personnel. On the part of the MUP ay kukunin po natin iyan—hindi natin ipapatupad iyong EO 201 para sa MUP, kundi kukunin natin iyan at magiging bahagi ng Joint Resolution No. 18 kasi kung ipapatupad ho natin pati sa mga MUP, magdodoble po tayo. So, iyon ang tinatanong ko po, na ang pondong intended for the third tranche of EO 201 for MUP ay dinagdagan ho natin ng additional amount para maging bahagi ng kabuuang Joint Resolution No. 18 po.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Yes. Klaruhin ko lang, Mme. Speaker, hindi iyan parang babawiin mo, tapos ay dadagdagan mo, tapos ay ibabalik mo. Kumbaga,


ang mangyayari lang ay i-a-augment mo lang iyong kulang, hindi ba, kasi funds are just funds, you know. Pare-pareho lang funds iyan. So, hindi bawi, dagdag, lagay, balik. It is just to augment lang natin based doon sa computation natin.

REP. ALEJANO. Tama po. Hindi ko naman ho sinabing babawiin. Ibig sabihin, dadagdagan mo ho …


REP. ALEJANO. … para mabuo …


REP. ALEJANO. … ang Joint Resolution No. 18. Ang tinatanong ko ho is, magkano po ang idadagdag ninyo doon sa third tranche at saan ninyo kukunin ang pondo?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Actually, I can provide, Mme. Speaker, iyong ating kagalang-galang na Representative ng MAGDALO Party-List, ng table na ito. So, in this table, you will see kung ano iyong naging effect sa EO 201, tapos, kung magkano iyong magiging effect niya with House Joint Resolution No. 18. For instance, on a monthly basis, iyong Police Officer I, taking into account iyong lahat na ng matatanggap niya based on EO 201, he stands to receive P33,031, but with House Joint Resolution No. 18, ito ay magiging P49,116 na, and this is taking into account lahat na, ha—I am talking here about iyong PERA o P-E-R-A, iyong subsistence allowance, clothing allowance, laundry, quarters, hazard pay, mid-year bonus, year-end bonus, lahat-lahat na.

So, may table po tayo and I can show this to the Representative ng MAGDALO Party-List para ma-compare po niya iyong EO 201 versus iyong naging change with House Joint Resolution No.18.

REP. ALEJANO. Thank you, Mr. Sponsor. Actually, doon po ako papunta sa topic po na iyan. Ang kina-clarify ko lang po is hindi iyong increase of the difference between EO 201 third tranche and the Joint Resolution. Ang ibig ko sabihin lang po ay nandito na po sa mga ahensiya ang third tranche ng EO 201, kumuha po tayo sa MPBF upang dagdagan po ito. Iyon ang ibig kong sabihin po. MPBF ba iyong source ng additional doon sa fund intended for third tranche of EO 201?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Iyong kakulangan, iyong pang-augment will be coming from the MPBF.

REP. ALEJANO. Iyon po ang aking itinatanong. Magkano po ang ating kukunin sa MPBF upang

idadagdag po natin doon sa available po na fund for 2018 sa third tranche ng EO 201?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). It is P 64.24 billion.

REP. ALEJANO. Magkano po?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). It is P 64.24 billion for 2018.

REP. ALEJANO. Ito po iyong karagdagan mula sa MPBF po?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Basta ito iyong …

REP. ALEJANO. Kabuuan.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). … pondo na ilalagay natin sa MPBF to implement House Joint Resolution No. 18.

REP. ALEJANO. Ang kabuuan ay P64…

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Point twenty-four.

REP. ALEJANO. … billion coming from MPBF.


REP. ALEJANO. Magkano po ang total para sa ating MUP po? For House Joint Resolution No. 18, magkano po iyong total?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). It is P245.79 billion.

REP. ALEJANO. Billion po?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Yes, “B”–billion.

REP. ALEJANO. So, P245.79 billion for the total …

REP. NOGRALES (K.). “B”–P245.79…

REP. ALEJANO. …amount allocated for House Joint Resolution No. 18 and out of P245.79 billion, P64.24 billion would be coming from MPBF.


REP. ALEJANO. Thank you, Mr. Sponsor, Mme. Speaker. Naitanong ko po iyan dahil—natural po, hindi po natin maiwasan na pagdating sa pagkaperahan, kung baga, ay magkaroon ng comparison kung hindi po tayo magpasa ng House Joint Resolution No. 18 at kung third tranche lamang ang ating pagbabasehan. Gumawa rin po ako ng maliit na computation, and I would be


happy to have the computation of the Committee because—actually, I wrote the Committee for some data para po mapag-aralan ho ito dahil sabi ko nga kanina, hindi maiwasan na tinatanong ho tayo at para eksakto po ang masasagot natin sa mga stakeholders po nating nagtatanong.

So, sinabi ho kanina na magkaroon po ng doble sa Private po lamang. Tama po ba?


REP. ALEJANO. All the rest ay mayroon pong pagkakaiba ang pag-increase.


REP. ALEJANO. Mayroon bang pagkakataon na magiging negative ang isang ranggo? Ibig sabihin ho is, if you have to compare the third tranche of EO 201 and House Joint Resolution No. 18 ay mas mataas pa iyong EO 201. Mayroon bang pagkakataon na ganoon?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Hindi na po. Wala po.

REP. ALEJANO. Mme. Speaker, Mr. Sponsor, hihingi po ako ng kopya ninyo dahil sa aking pag-aaral—kasi ang tinitingnan ho namin dito ay mayroon longevity pay. Mabuti po kung ikaw ay mayroong fourth and fifth longevity pay, pero kung ang longevity pay mo po ay first longevity pay pa lamang, ibig sabihin, maliit lamang ito na porsiyento ng base pay increase. Ang aking nakikita po ay simula po sa kadete ay mayroong negative at ...

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Saan po? Kadete, meaning to say, candidate soldier?

REP. ALEJANO. Iyong Probationary Second Lieutenant at kadete. If you will take into account all the base pay, the earnings, subsistence allowance, PERA, quarters allowance and all other allowances, less the mandatory deductions and the taxes that will be withheld, ay magkakaroon po ng net gross. If you have to compare that with EO 201 third tranche and with House Joint Resolution No. 18, kaya nga ho kinaklaro ko dahil sa aking pag-aaral ay mayroong mga ranggo at saka mga certain longevity pay na magiging negative po.

So, kaya tinatanong ko po kung mayroon bang pagkakataon na magiging negative ang net gross ng isang sundalo?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Well, based sa computation po natin para sa kadete, kung EO 201 lang ang i-a-apply natin, ang magiging effect po ng EO 201 sa kadete

would be P54,990, but with House Joint Resolution No. 18, magiging P55,499. So, hindi po negative iyan.

REP. ALEJANO. So, P34,000 …

REP. NOGRALES (K.). So, P54,990 kung EO 201 ang basis natin, but if ang basis natin is House Joint Resolution No. 18, ang matatanggap niya is P55,499.

REP. ALEJANO. Net o gross na po iyon.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Gross.

REP. ALEJANO. Well, I have to reconcile my records with you because masyadong mataas po yata ang P50 thousand plus para sa isang kadete. Sa aking record …

REP. NOGRALES (K.). This is cadet ng DND, ng ...

REP. ALEJANO. Yes po, lahat po ng kadete, …

REP. NOGRALES (K.). …cadet ng PNP, yes.REP. ALEJANO. … sa mga academy, Probationary

Second Lieutenant po.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Ang Probationary Second Lieutenant, sa EO 201, P55,490, but sa House Joint Resolution No. 18, P55,999.

REP. ALEJANO. Okay po. Maraming salamat po.

Definitely, nagkaroon po ng pagkakaiba iyong ating computation, but I might as well go to my next question. Titingnan ko na lang ho mamaya, manghihingi po ako ng records sa inyo para ma-reconcile po natin ito, para may maliwanag po tayong mai-relay sa ating mga stakeholders.


REP. ALEJANO. Sa aking computation, mayroong mga negative at maliliit. Tama po ba na sa inyong proposal sa Joint Resolution ay na front-load po natin ang increase ng ating enlisted personnel as compared to that of the officers? Ibig po sabihin ay nilakihan po natin ang increase ng ating enlisted personnel as compared to the officers kasi sa 2018 po na increase ng enlisted personnel, hindi po ito nagbago sa 2019 at ganoon pa rin po ang kanilang monthly base pay simula sa candidate Soldier o CS hanggang sa ranggong Chief Master Sergeant. So, wala pong pagbabago ang kanilang base pay. Tama po ba na na-front-load na natin sa unang taon at hindi na magbabago sa pangalawang


taon? Ang officers naman ay hindi masyadong nag-increase sa unang taon pero magkakaroon din sila ng significant increase sa pangalawang taon.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). I guess for lack of a better term, siguro, puwede na rin nating sabihin, Mme. Speaker, na na-front-load nga. So, there are two ways of looking at it. Itong from candidate Soldier to First Chief Master Sergeant, tama ba, to Chief Master Sergeant, at least, iyong effect ng kanilang increase sa base pay ay mararamdaman na nila agad sa first year, whereas, iyong mas matataas na ranggo, parang nag-two tranches lang tayo ng kanilang increase. So, it really depends on how you want to look at it. If you want to call it front-loading, I guess for lack of a better term to use, you can consider it “front- loading.”

REP. ALEJANO. Maraming salamat po. Wala naman pong negative connotation iyong aking tanong. Napapansin ko lang ho kasi na walang increase sa pangalawang taon, so, ang ibig sabihin po ay lumaki nang husto sa unang taon at sa pangalawang taon ay steady lang. Para sa ating mga officers, halos maliliit lang ang increase sa unang taon at sila ay makakabawi sa pangalawang taon.

Proceeding to the next concern, Mr. Sponsor, Mme. Speaker— concern lang po ito at ito po ay ipinarating sa Representasyon ng Magdalo—gaya rin po nang na-raise sa unang tanong ay iyong concern ng mga ibang sektor ng civilian employees sa kanilang suweldo. Of course, mahirap din ipaliwanag, lalong-lalo na itong mga civilian employees sa loob mismo po ng Department of National Defense at Department of the Interior and Local Government. Ang example po dito, sinasabi po ng mga professors, bakit daw maliit ang kanilang suweldo sa kanilang tinuturuan na mga kadete. So, parang, in a way, it affects their morale because sila po ay—tama po iyan—graduate ng masters degree and they are required to have their PhDs in order for them to teach cadets of the Philippine National Police Academy and the Philippine Military Academy—at dito nga ay tumaas ang suweldo ng mga kadete. So, darating ang punto na mataas ang suweldo ng mga estudyante compared doon sa mga nagtuturo.

So, I know, Mr. Speaker, that you have already expressed yourself sa sagot po ninyo sa unang tanong pero ni-raise ko lamang po ito dahil ito ay concern din ng mga civilian employees sa loob mismo ng Department of National Defense na nagtuturo din, for example, sa National Defense College of the Philippines, the General Staff Corps. So, marami pong nagtuturo diyan at mga nagsisilbing mga civilian employees na ang suweldo po nila ay hindi aangat. Kaya nga iyon ang concern and so, ni-raise ko lang po iyan.

Pangalawa, mayroon po bang pag-aaral sa degree or amount of risk of exposure among the military and

uniformed personnel kasi nga po, I agree na iba po ang exposure ng mga sundalo at pulis. Wala po o kumbaga, bihira lamang na buhay mo ang nakataya o inaalay sa pagsisilbi sa bayan, subalit sa loob mismo po ng MUP, military and other uniformed personnel, mayroon pong iba’t ibang mga lebel ng exposure sa risk. So, mayroon po bang pag-aaral dahil pare-pareho po silang may increases. And katulad po nga sa mga personnel ng NAMRIA, ano po ba ang risk na kanilang hinaharap? Katulad po ba sa personnel ng Bureau of Fire and Bureau of Jail Management as compared to the soldiers assigned to the hinterlands of Basilan, iyong ganoon po, mayroon po ba, in a way, na pag-aaral as to the amount of risk these personnel are exposed to?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Iyong NAMRIA naman

po, Mme. Speaker, wala silang combat pay. Wala silang combat duty pay, wala silang combat incentive pay.

REP. ALEJANO. Ganoon din po ang mga sundalo na sa headquarters na-assign. So, well, naitanong ko lang kung mayroon ba at kung wala naman ay, at least, ito po ay magandang usapin sa ibang pagkakataon. So, wala po.

Lastly, Mr. Sponsor, Mme. Speaker, nagpapasalamat po ako sa mga clarification. I-raise ko lang po ang isyu ng revolutionary government na nabanggit ko po kanina. Ang ating Armed Forces, ang ating mga naka-trabaho sa gobyerno, they have sworn to uphold and defend the Constitution at alam ho natin na ang revolutionary government ay wala pong sinasandalan, ligal na sinasandalan, kaya po ang ating Armed Forces ay hindi po susuporta diyan. So, tama po, while the Armed Forces, I believe will not support the revolutionary government, ang Pangulo naman kasi po ang nagre-raise na maaari siyang mag-declare ng revolutionary government at mayroon pong mga prerequisites, ibig sabihin, nag-o-open ho siya ng door na puwede kung—mayroon pong “kung”—magkaroon po nang malawakang pag-atake ng mga “red fighters” sa ating bansa.

Ang aking opinyon lang po dito ay noon pa naman ho ay may malawakang pag-atake ang New People’s Army sa ating bansa—so, hindi naman ho—at iyon ay ina-address ng ating mga security forces. Hindi po dapat ay babagsak sa isang option na revolutionary government dahil kung gulo ang ating gustong i-solve at ang solusyon ay isang bagay na magki-create ng another na gulo, sa tingin ko po, ay mas masahol pa ang gamot doon sa problemang tinitingnan po natin.

So, dahil ang Armed Forces po ang haharap doon sa isyu na iyan, at lalo na ngayon naging agresibo ang Presidente laban sa New People’s Army, it is but expected na magkakaroon po ng pag-atake ang New People’s Army, and I hope that the President will not


use that as justification for whatever purpose it may serve him best. So, iyon lang po dahil alam ho natin sa giyera, kawawa po ang ating mga sundalo at mga collateral damage din.

Sa aking pananaw po, ang mga sundalo ang huli na magsasabi na gusto niyang makipag-giyera at alam ho natin na sa tagal na po nating ina-attempt na i-solve ang problema ng insurgency at saka rebellion, hindi po solution ang combat operations. Kaya nga ang military ay nag-a-adopt ng ibang kaparaanan like civil military operations at nag-a-adopt ng mga ibang bagay to win the hearts and minds of the people because at the end of the day, hindi po solusyon ang barilan at patayan, dahil sa isang tao with heightened emotions, kahit ang isang tao ay nasa maling panig, wala na pong mag-a-appeal na reason dahil po siya ay namatayan, nabiktima o naging kawawa o nagkaroon ng inhustisya. So, iyon lang po ang gusto kong i-emphasize because kapag ito ay lalong lumala, mahaharap naman ho ulit ang ating state security forces sa isang sitwasyon na kung saan ay magkakaroon ng malawakang combat operations at hindi po natin maiiwasan ang mga bagay katulad po ng nangyari sa Marawi. Hindi po talaga maiiwasan na mayroong mamamatay at masisirang mga installations.

So, with that Mme. Speaker, Mr. Sponsor, ako po ay nagpapasalamat at mayroon po tayong initiative upang pataasin ang morale ng ating mga sundalo at pulis, and I hope that the purpose is really to help them, not to buy their loyalties, dahil ang loyalty po ng ating Armed Forces at saka ng ating mga kapulisan ay nasa Konstitusyon. Wala po ni isang loyalty kahit kanino pa kung hindi sa ating Konstitusyon.

I would like to congratulate the Sponsor, the Hon. Karlo Nograles, for this laudable effort.

Maraming salamat po.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Maraming salamat, Mme. Speaker.


REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, the next to interpellate is the distinguished Gentleman from the First District of Camarines Sur, our honorable Deputy Speaker Rolando G. Andaya Jr. I move that the Gentleman be recognized, Mme. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano).

The honorable Deputy Speaker Rolando Andaya is hereby recognized.

REP. ANDAYA. Thank you very much, Mme. Speaker. Would the honorable Chairman yield to a few questions?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Yes, Mme. Speaker. It would be an honor.

REP. ANDAYA. Thank you very much. First of all, let me say that I am in full support of this House Joint Resolution and I would just like to commiserate with the Chairman on the challenge of having to pass this, which is seemingly a simple joint resolution to increase the salary of uniformed personnel but, in reality, could be a challenge. I have been listening to the interpellations, and you can see the different opinions of the various Members of this House.

I have had the chance to enjoy the situation the Chairman is enjoying right now. I remember a time when the national government passed a bill increasing the salaries—giving additional allowance—to government employees. I thought it would be easy to pass, only to find out that half of the bureaucracy was against it for one simple reason: they were saying that the allowance is not part of the computation of their pension for their retirement. They say they would rather have a salary increase rather than an allowance. The next year, the same Congress passed a law, the SSL III, granting additional salary. Now, the other half is complaining. Bakit daw ginawang suweldo, kasi taxable daw ang suweldo kaya dapat daw ginawang allowance para tax-free.

So, if you will really have—wala kang mapupuntahan talaga, but that is not the point of my rising today. The point is, what I am trying to raise, Mme. Speaker, is that we tend to forget— when we talk about salaries, and we wish that we can all give an increase in salary every year, but that is not the situation because we tend to forget the sources of these salary increases.

Just to take us down memory lane: when the new Constitution was drafted, it set forth a salary system which is standardized, meaning to say, all those doing the same job have the same salary grade, so magkapareho ho ang suweldo. To make it simple, a Teacher I would, basically, have the same salary as a Police Officer I, basically the same salary as a Private First Class I. That is a basic rule on the salary increases. During the time of Pres. Cory Aquino, we had Salary Standardization I which standardized all salaries. During the time of FVR, we had Salary Standardization II, but let us remember first how FVR was able to give Salary Standardization II, meaning to say, all government employees got an increase in salary. How was he able to do it? Maybe we all have short memories, so I took a look. He was able to do it because he was able to pass the VAT. Now, comes the time of President Erap. A new law was passed which gave an increase in salary for the policemen only and did not include other uniformed personnel, meaning to say, pulis lang ang tumaas ang suweldo at hindi kasama iyong Bureau of Fire, hindi kasama iyong Bureau of Jail


Management, hindi kasama iyong Coast Guard, hindi rin kasama iyong NAMRIA—pulis lang.

While in a sense, you could say that was a distortion of salary standardization, but at that point in time, the finances of the national government could not handle an increase for all government employees. We have to remember that, during the time of President Erap, we were in the middle of the Asian financial crisis and so, isang sektor lang ang nauna at kailangan humabol ho ang lahat ng sector. For the information of everyone, it took the national government eight years para ho maipantay ulit o ma-standardize naman ang lahat ng salaries, salary grade na parehong suweldo ulit, ang PO I, Private First Class I, pati ho iyong teacher. Nine years—it took nine years and what did it take for the administration of GMA to be able to do that, Salary Standardization III? Again, it took another round of increases in VAT and the VAT was increased to 12 percent; without that, there would have been no SSL III.

Now, again, we are in the same situation. May naunang sektor ulit, which is normal, it happened already. Hindi naman talaga kaya na sabay-sabay lahat. Nauna ho ngayon ang MUP but ang maganda ho sa sitwasyon na ito, habang na-increase iyong MUP, the rest of the national government is still to receive two tranches of increases for SSL IV which was passed by the former President or was done during the time of former Pres. Noynoy Aquino. So, we are even in a better situation than that time when only the policemen received the salary increase. Ibig sabihin lang ho nito, for other government officials not part of the MUP, look at it from the point of view na nauna na iyong police, meaning to say, MUP rather—meaning to say, Salary Standardization V is already in the offing. Nauna ho iyong isang sector, but after two years, you can expect Salary Standardization V to be in the works, with one caveat: like all of the other salary increases, there needs to be an increase in the collections of our national government, and I am talking about the TRAIN Bill. So, those who are asking for more, those who feel left out, they should be the first ones to support the TRAIN Bill which is about to be put before the plenary.

Thank you very much. Would you agree, Mr. Chairman, baka sabihin mo hindi ka natanong, would you agree with me in my statement?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). I agree 100 percent, Mme. Speaker, with the statements made by the honorable Deputy Speaker Andaya.

REP. ANDAYA. Thank you very much, Mme. Speaker. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.


REP. GONZALES (A.P.). Mme. Speaker, I move that we recognize the Hon. France L. Castro from the ACT TEACHERS as the next interpellator.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). The Hon. France Castro is recognized for her interpellation.

REP. CASTRO (F.L.). Thank you very much, Mme. Speaker. Iyong atin po bang Sponsor ay willing na tumanggap ng mga questions mula sa Representasyong ito?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Opo, Mme. Speaker.

REP. CASTRO (F.L.). Thank you doon sa pagbibigay ng history ni Congressman Andaya kung paano tumaas ang suweldo ng ating mga personnel. So, nakita natin iyong pagtaas po ng suweldo ay depende po doon sa itinataas din ng mga taxes natin na kinukuha natin sa ating mga mamamayan. Siguro po, mag-focus ako muna doon dahil kanina pa sinasabi ng ating kagalang-galang na Sponsor na mayroong pag-aaral tungkol doon sa pagpapataas ng suweldo ng mga military and uniformed personnel. Hindi naman po tayo tutol na taasan ang suweldo ng ating mga military and uniformed personnel and in fact, may mga teachers po tayo na ang mga kabiyak ay mga pulis at mga military, at malamang matutuwa din sila sa ganito.

Ako po, bilang—on the perspective po na dati po akong guro na nagsimula po ang suweldo ko noong 1987 ng P3,102 hanggang sa umabot po ito, after 25 years, inabot ko po iyong category o level ng Master Teacher II, pero malaki po—ibig sabihin, iyong binubuno ng mga guro para po mapataas ang suweldo, ma-promote at siyempre, iyong mga pag-aaral na ginagawa po ng ating mga guro, iyong professional development na ginagawa po ng ating mga guro.

Ang trabaho po ng isang guro, Mme. Speaker, Mr. Sponsor, ay hindi naman po naiiba doon sa trabaho po ng ating mga kasundaluhan at ng ating mga kapulisan dahil niri-risk din po namin, niri-risk din ng guro ang kanyang buhay. Alam ninyo po ngayon, mas risky na po ang maging guro sa ngayon, Mme. Speaker, Mr. Sponsor, dahil, unang-una, sa kondisyon sa paggawa o iyong kondisyon sa mga classrooms. Huwag na po nating tingnan iyong mga nasa city, iyong mga naka-assign sa mga kalunsuran, dahil mas maraming mga guro po ang naka-assign sa mga liblib na lugar at ang kanila pong sinusuong na hirap magpunta lang po sa mga lugar ng eskuwelahan ay talagang araw-araw na nagri-risk ang mga guro. Kaya kung ikukumpara po natin ay talagang ang buhay po rin ng mga guro ay talagang risky din araw-araw. So, kung pagbabatayan po natin ang risk ay talagang halos kapantay lang po.

Sa morale, pagdating naman po doon sa morale, ngayon po ang morale ng ating mga kaguruan ay napakababa dahil ngayon po, kung ikukumpara po


natin ang suweldo ng mga guro, Mme. Speaker and Mr. Sponsor, na P19,692 iyong Teacher 1 natin, na kung tutuusin ay napakalayo po nito doon sa tinatawag natin na standard of living. Iyong tinatawag natin na poverty line, malapit na po ito sa poverty line kung pagbabatayan po natin iyong standard na sinasabi ng ating gobyerno na kailangan po ng at least P1,099 per day ang suweldo ng pamilya na may apat na anak para lamang po makaagapay doon sa mga pang araw-araw na mga pangangailangan sa buhay. So, ito po iyong kalagayan.

Isa pa pong kalagayan ng mga guro ay iyong kailangan silang, dahil kulang ang suweldo, mangutang. Marami pong mga guro ngayon, nakasanla iyong mga ATM nila. Marami pong mga guro ngayon, kung titingnan ninyo, ilang porsiyento lang iyong matatawag na wala talagang utang sa mga bangko, sa mga ahensiya ng gobyerno at iba pa. Isa pa pong kalagayan, kung ikukumpara po natin sa ating mga military and uniformed personnel, with due respect po, iyong kanila pong mga pangangailangan, lalong-lalo na po sa kanilang pangangailangan sa trabaho, ay provided po ito ng ating gobyerno, samantalang ang mga teachers, binibili po nila ang sarili nilang mga gamit. Teachers lang yata, among government employees, ang bumibili po ng supplies.

So, ito po iyong kalagayan ng ating mga kaguruan, kaya po matagal na po ito hinihiling ng mga guro, at panahon pa ito ng nakaraang administrasyon. After six years, nagbigay ng kakarampot na pagtaas ng suweldo. Umaasa po ang mga guro na sa administrasyong Duterte ay mabibigyan na sila ng prayoridad pero nakikita natin, Mme. Speaker, G. Isponsor, na iba pala, iba iyong prayoridad, or kumbaga po sa anak o kumbaga po sa tatay at magulang, mayroon pong kinikilingan ang administrasyon. Kumbaga po sa magulang, sa mga anak, mayroon pong isang anak na pinapaboran samantalang iyong iba ay hindi o sasabihin na lang mamaya na, o sasabihin na lang pag-aaralan pa kung ibibigay iyong kahilingan ng mga anak. Parang nakaka-demoralize po ito sa bahagi po, partikular, sa mga kaguruan na nag-antay din ng matagal na pag-aaral ng DBM, Mme. Speaker, at G. Isponsor, kung kailan itataas ang suweldo. Nagtaas nga, kakarampot naman. Ito na sana iyong pagkakataon na nakakakita sana ng pagbabago, tunay na pagbabago, pero isa’t kalahating taon na ang administrasyon, wala pa ring nakikitang pagbabago ang ating mga kaguruan. Kaya po ang Representasyong ito, Mme. Speaker, ay talaga pong nagpapahayag ng tunay na sentimyento po ng sektor ng mga guro sa pangyayaring ito.

Ang una pong tanong, Mr. Sponsor, so, dito po sa House Joint Resolution No. 18, maaari po ba ninyong sabihin dito kung ano po iyong magiging epekto po ng House Joint Resolution No. 18 doon po sa magre-retire by next year na ating mga kasundaluhan? So, ito rin po ba iyong magiging basehan doon sa retirement benefit at magkano po iyong magiging budget natin dito?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Gaya po noong sinabi ko at nasagot ko po kanina noong tinanong noong kagalang-galang na Representante ng MAGDALO Party-List, sa tamang panahon, at the proper moment, kapag nag-move na po ng amendments sa period of amendments, willing po kaming amyendahan iyong House Joint Resolution No. 18 para po maipasok iyong napag-isipan na po namin, na itong pension indexation ay temporarily suspended lang po and will be lifted by January 1, 2019 or when a new pension law is passed, whichever will be earlier, Mme. Speaker.

REP. CASTRO (F.L.). Thank you, Mr. Sponsor. Mme. Speaker, dito po sa tranche 1 and tranche 2 ng ating House Joint Resolution No. 18, napansin po natin dito na mula doon sa cadet—mula doon po sa Probationary Second Lieutenant, on the second tranche po, ay tumaas samantalang iyon pong nasa rank and file, mula po doon sa Candidate Soldier hanggang dito po sa cadet ay halos parehas lang po.

So, ano po ba iyong naging konsiderasyon, kasi ganito rin po iyong naging—kasi po ang SSL po, kapag tumaas po iyong mula Salary Grade 1 hanggang 33, lahat po iyon, tumataas. Ano po ba iyong naging konsiderasyon ng DBM, through our Sponsor—ano po ba iyong naging malaking konsiderasyon, bakit po naging ganito? Hindi po ba parang may distortion o parang may discrimination sa ganitong salary scale?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Iyong budget din po ang naging konsiderasyon dito. So, parang ang nangyari, kung gusto mong isipin, iyong mga rank and file, itong mga lower ranks, kung baga, nauna na pong na-implement iyong change—iyong kanilang increase, one tranche lang po.

Kumbaga, gaya nga ng sinabi ng ating kagalang-galang na Representative ng MAGDALO Party-List, for lack of a better term, kumbaga parang na-front load na po iyong kabuuang epekto noong base salary increase po nitong mga nasa lower rank whereas iyong sa higher rank, ginawa pong parang two tranches.

So, one of the considerations siyempre is, magkano iyong kayang ma-sustain noong budget natin gawa nang ito ay base po sa 2018 budget at magkano iyong puwede nating i-allocate na budget para po sa implementation nito. So, everything, Mme. Speaker, boils down really to budget.

REP. CASTRO (F.L.). Thank you, Mr. Sponsor. So, nakikita po natin iyong impact. Dito lang nga po, iyong discrimination dito sa tranche 1 and tranche 2, discrimination on the lower ranks and the upper ranks ng military and uniformed personnel, nakikita natin iyong impact doon sa ating budget, pero hindi natin yata nakita, Mme. Speaker, iyong impact sa kabuuan naman ng buong budget na ito doon sa impact nito doon sa ating


kabuuang budget. Anyway, aside po doon sa sinasabing pagpapataas ng morale ng ating mga military and uniformed personnel, kaya nga itinataas iyong suweldo na doble, kaya binanggit kanina na unprecedented, talagang hindi, walang kapantay itong klase ng pagtataas na ito sa isang sektor ng ating burukrasya.

So, Mr. Sponsor, maitanong ko lang po, sa inyong study, napag-aralan po ba dito, halimbawa, iyong pag-factor noong consumer price index, iyong mga inflation at iba pang mga considerations? Kasi madalas ko po itong naririnig doon sa ating DBM, na kapag kami po ay nakikipag-dialogue sa DBM, maraming mga sinasabing mga konsiderasyon sa kanilang pag-aaral—pero kanina sa pagpapakinig ko po doon sa inyong pagre-reason out tungkol doon sa pag-aaral ninyo kung bakit ganito kataas ang ibinibigay nating suweldo o taas ng suweldo sa ating mga military and uniformed personnel, mayroon pa po bang iba pang mga batayan bukod sa sinasabi nating pagpapataas ng morale, very risky, wala itong counterpart na private sector, at iba pa? Kasi para pong, hindi ko rin po kasi maintindihan iyong mga ganoong rason dahil sa Salary Standardization Law po na inaano ng DBM, marami po silang mga ikinakatwiran na mga pag-aaral tungkol doon sa mga economic impact and everything, so ano pa po ba iyong iba pang batayan bukod po sa priority rin siguro ito ng ating Presidente?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Hindi ko masagot categorically, maaari po sigurong nakasama rin iyong ibang factors, economic factors kasi, siyempre, titingnan mo rin iyong kalagayan ng ating mga kasundaluhan, mga kapulisan, iyong way of living nila at, siguro, all of these things come into play. Kasama iyan indirectly sa mga factors na napag-iisipan doon sa pagbibigay ng karagdagang suweldo.

REP. CASTRO (F.L.). Thank you po. Sana po, mas maipaliwanag pa ito nang mas maayos para mas maintindihan po ito ng mas nakararami, especially iyong mga civilian personnel natin, kung bakit naging ganito kabilis, kataas ang increase natin doon sa MUP. Kasi po kung tumataas po ang mga bilihin, kung tumataas iyong ating mga serbisyo, hindi lang po mga military and uniformed personnel ang nakakaramdam nito, nararamdaman din po ito ng mga civilian personnel at ng mga mamamayan natin. Kaya po kung ito po iyong naging katuwiran natin doon sa kung marami pong mga economic factors dati na ikinakatwiran ng DBM kaugnay noong rationale sa pagpapataas ng suweldo, so, parang ano, parang hindi ko po nakikita iyong talagang tunay na rason bukod po doon sa mga nabanggit.

Nasabi po ninyo, Mr. Sponsor, na pag-aaralan natin after 2019, marahil wala na tayo rin dito sa Kongreso, after 2019 na matapos na iyong Executive Order No. 201, pag-aaralan na o ngayon pinag-aaralan na natin

iyong salary increase siguro ng ating mga civilian personnel partikular po, Mr. Sponsor, as the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, ay siguro maitanong na lang sa DBM, hanggang kailan po iyong pag-aaral na ito na naman na aantayin po ng ating mga iba pang mga civilian personnel, iyong pag-aaral na gagawin ng DBM?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Mme. Speaker, siguro malaking factor din iyong titingnan mo iyong magiging revenue increases natin, iyong karagdagang revenues na makokolekta ng gobyerno kagaya ng sinabi ng ating kagalang-galang na Deputy Speaker na mula sa lalawigan ng Camarines Sur, siyempre titingnan mo iyong magkano iyong mga revenues na nadye-generate ng ating gobyerno at titingnan mo iyong mga new revenue sources kung saan puwedeng manggagaling iyong magiging pagkukunan ng karagdagang suweldo.

Kaya nga po ngayon, sa kasalukuyan, pinag-uusapan na sa Bicameral Conference Committee iyong tax reform. So, kapag pumasa rin po iyong Tax Reform Bill, titingnan rin natin realistically kapag ito ay, halimbawa, na-implement na ng 2018, doon mo talaga makikita kung magkano iyong magiging collections niya. Siyempre, mayroon tayong projections based doon sa House version natin. So, makikita natin iyan, magkakaroon ng projections sa magiging final version na pipirmahan ng ating Pangulo kapag nagkasundo na sa bicam. Then, mate-test mo na rin po iyan sa 2018 kung magkano po talaga iyong nadye-generate na additional revenues ng Tax Reform Bill. So, kasama rin iyan sa pag-aaral, ano, kung may karagdagang revenues na makukuha dito sa bagong batas, itong Tax Reform Bill, kasama rin iyan sa magiging factor sa pag-aaral at pagsusuri kung magkano iyong puwedeng maging dagdag na suweldo or karagdagang, ito nga, salary increase para sa mga civilian personnel by 2019 or 2020. So, siyempre, kasama diyan iyong mga computation mo ng mga projected increases as the years go on. So, very technical po iyong magiging pag-aaral at pagsusuri po nitong lahat.

REP. CASTRO (F.L.). Salamat po doon sa pagpapaliwanag. Napansin ko lang po, kapag civilian personnel, parang napaka-technical at marami pang pag-aaralan pero kapag NUP, based lang doon sa morale at doon sa risk iyong ating naging mga batayan, mukhang naging batayan.

For the record lang po, Mme. Speaker, Mr. Sponsor, June 30, 2016 pa po nakahain iyong House Bill No. 56, ito po iyong panukalang-batas ng ACT TEACHERS Party-List para po mapataasan o mailagay po din sa tamang puwesto ang suweldo ng ating mga guro. Mag-iisang taon na. Sana po bago matapos ang ating termino ay mapag-usapan na ito. Siguro, hindi lang naman House Bill No. 56, mayroon ding more than 20 na siguro na mga panukalang-batas para sa salary


increase, hindi lang po ng mga teachers pero maging iyong ating iba pang mga civilian personnel.

So, Mr. Sponsor, Mme. Speaker, makakaasa po ba ang Representasyong ito na bago matapos siguro iyong ating term ay mapag-usapan man lang sa Committee on Appropriations itong mga panukalang-batas o mapag-aralan man lang sa Committee on Appropriations ang mga ito …

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Actually, …

REP. CASTRO (F.L.). … na may kaugnayan o puwede rin po siguro nating maisama doon sa ginagawang study po para doon sa salary increase ng mga teachers.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Opo, Mme. Speaker, kasi siyempre, medyo nauna po ito pero hinihintay rin po natin iyong advice ng DBM, iyong kanilang—itong mga panukalang-batas na pending ngayon sa Committee on Appropriations ay na-refer na po namin sa DBM for their position paper. Ang gusto ko rin po ay ipagsabay-sabay na itong lahat sa isang hearing para wala pong maiiwanan pero kailangan, mayroon din po kasi tayong pakikipag-ugnayan sa DBM.

So, Mme. Speaker, I beg the indulgence of the Representative from ACT TEACHERS Party-List na allow me the chance to confer and coordinate this with the DBM because gusto ko naman po na pagdating doon sa hearing nito sa Committee, mayroon naman pong magandang mangyayari or progress and development dito sa magiging hearings po natin.

So, right now, hinihintay ko lang po iyong coordination with the DBM. Right now, we are very—masyadong—iyong bicam, iyong budget pa po iyong priority ngayon pero siguro next year, kapag hindi na budget season, maaaring gumalaw na iyong mga ito.

REP. CASTRO (F.L.). Thank you, Mr. Sponsor, Mme. Speaker. Panghuli na lang po, Mme. Speaker, na sana po mapadali na rin po iyong pag-aaral tungkol doon sa pagpapataas ng suweldo po ng lahat ng civilian personnel. Siyempre po, ito ang paninindigan po ng Representasyong ito na sana nobody will be left behind dito sa pagtaas ng suweldo dahil alam naman po natin na pantay-pantay lang naman ang nagiging sitwasyon in terms of the economic situation na dinadanas po ng ating mga mamamayan.

So, thank you, Mme. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Sponsor.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Maraming salamat, Mme. Speaker.


REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we close the period of sponsorship and debate.


The period of sponsorship and debate on House Joint Resolution No. 18 is hereby closed.

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we open the period of amendments.


The period of amendments on House Joint Resolution No. 18 is hereby opened.

INDIVIDUAL AMENDMENTS

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, this is to propose individual amendments.

The first, on page 1, paragraph four, the last line after the acronym “MUP,” to change the punctuation mark period (.) with the punctuation mark comma (,); and to add the phrase AS FOLLOWS followed by the punctuation mark colon (:).

Mme. Speaker, may we know if this is acceptable to the Sponsor?

REP. NOGRALES (K.). We accept, Mme. Speaker.

REP. DEFENSOR. With that, Mme. Speaker, I move for the approval of the aforesaid amendment.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). Is there any objection? (Silence) The Chair hears none; the motion is approved. The amendment is hereby approved.

REP. DEFENSOR. Second, on the same page, paragraphs five and six, to delete the whole provisions. May we know, Mme. Speaker, if this is acceptable to the Sponsor.


REP. DEFENSOR. With that, Mme. Speaker, I move for the approval of the said amendment.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). Is there any objection? (Silence) The Chair hears none; the amendment is approved.

REP. DEFENSOR. Third, on page two, Section II, between the ranks “Cadet” and “Ensign” under the column PCG, to insert the rank PROBATIONARY ENSIGN. May I know, Mme. Speaker, if this is acceptable to the Sponsor.



REP. DEFENSOR. With that, Mme. Speaker, I move for the approval of the amendment as aforestated.


REP. DEFENSOR. Fourth, on page 3, same section, between the ranks “Cadet” and “Ensign” under the column PCG, insert the rank PROBATIONARY ENSIGN. May I know if this is acceptable to the Sponsor, Mme. Speaker.


REP. DEFENSOR. With that, I move for the approval of the said amendment.


REP. DEFENSOR. On the same page, the last paragraph, first line, after the Modified Schedule, before the word “Pending”, we insert the section title which reads “III. SUSPENSION OF INDEXATION OF PENSION TO BASE PAY”, and renumber succeeding sections accordingly. May I know if this is acceptable to the Sponsor, Mme. Speaker.




REP. DEFENSOR. On page 4, lines 1 to 4, to delete the last sentence starting from the article “The” up to the number “8551” and in lieu thereof, to substitute the following: THE INDEXATION OF SUCH PENSION SHALL THUS REMAIN TO BE BASED ON THE RATES OF THE BASE PAY SCHEDULE PROVIDED UNDER JR NO. 4, NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE (PD) NO. 1638 (SERIES OF 1979), AS AMENDED, REPUBLIC ACT (RA) NO. 8551, REPUBLIC ACT (RA) NO. 5976, REPUBLIC ACT (RA) NO. 9993, AND REPUBLIC ACT (RA) NO. 9263. THIS SUSPENSION SHALL BE AUTOMATICALLY LIFTED ON JANUARY 1, 2019 OR UPON THE EFFECTIVITY OF A

PENSION REFORM LAW, WHICHEVER COMES EARLIER. May we know if this is acceptable to the Sponsor, Mme. Speaker.




REP. DEFENSOR. On the same page, between Section VIII on Separability and the word “Adopted,” insert the following resolutory clause: RESOLVED, FURTHER, THAT THE MODIFICATION OF THE BASE PAY OF THE MUP SHALL BE ALIGNED WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF MAINTAINING FISCAL INTEGRITY AND PURSUING PENSION REFORM;

RESOLVED, FURTHERMORE, THAT THE AMENDMENT OF EXISTING LAWS AND ISSUANCES CONTRARY TO THE PROVISIONS HEREOF SHALL BE EFFECTIVE UPON APPROVAL OF THIS JOINT RESOLUTION;

RESOLVED, FINALLY, THAT THIS JOINT RESOLUTION SHALL TAKE EFFECT ON JANUARY 1, 2018.

May we know, Mme. Speaker, if this is acceptable to the Sponsor.


REP. DEFENSOR. With that, Mme. Speaker, I move for the approval of the said amendment.


REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move to close the period of amendments.

REP. TINIO. Mme. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). Is there any objection?

REP. TINIO. Mme. Speaker. Mme. Speaker.


REP. DEFENSOR. May we know the pleasure of the Gentleman, Mme. Speaker.


REP. TINIO. I would like to propose some individual amendments ...

REP. DEFENSOR. Yes, you may.

REP. TINIO. … if I may be allowed.

REP. DEFENSOR. May we hear them, Mme. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). The Majority Leader is recognized. Yes?

REP. TINIO. Mme. Speaker, may I proceed.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). The Gentleman may proceed.

REP. TINIO. Thank you, Mme. Speaker. Mme. Speaker, as an individual amendment and taking into consideration as elicited earlier in my interpellation that P64.2 billion is already available in the proposed 2018 budget, and taking into consideration the justified demand of all government employees for a substantial salary increase, I propose the following amendment, Mme. Speaker. Would the Sponsor be amenable to the following: one, to set aside or delete Sections 1 and 2 of House Joint Resolution No. 18 and instead, to include the following provision: WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR COVERAGE OF ALL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, CIVILIAN AS WELL AS UNIFORMED PERSONNEL, AND PROVIDE FOR THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 201 STARTING ON JANUARY 1, 2018.

SUSPENSION OF SESSION

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move for a suspension of the session.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). The session is suspended.

It was 6:59 p.m.

RESUMPTION OF SESSION At 7:00 p.m., the session was resumed. THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano).

The session is resumed. The Majority Leader is recognized. REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, may we

hear again from the Honorable Tinio on his amendments.

REP. TINIO. Thank you, Mme. Speaker. So, let me reiterate. My proposed amendment

is to set aside or delete Sections 1 and 2 of House Joint Resolution No. 8, that would be the coverage of the modified base pay schedule. In its place, a new provision which specifically covers the salary increase for all employees of government, civilian as well as uniformed personnel, and that the Joint Resolution will provide for full implementation of the salary schedules in Executive Order No. 201. Further, an additional amount of at least P2,000 per month increase will be given to the rank-and-file employees. That is my proposal, Mme. Speaker.

REP. DEFENSOR. May we know, Mme. Speaker,

if the same is acceptable to the Sponsor? REP. NOGRALES (K). Mme. Speaker, I am

constrained to reject the proposal because wala naman tayong pag-aaral kung ano ang magiging net effect niyan in total, and this is a sudden suggestion without any computation.

REP. TINIO. Mme. Speaker, may pag-aaral po,

and I could show the computations to the honorable Sponsor.

REP. NOGRALES (K.). Anyway, Mme. Speaker,

I am constrained to reject the proposal. THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano).

Does the Gentleman insist on his amendment? REP. TINIO. Yes, I would like it to be put to a vote,

Mme. Speaker. REP. DEFENSOR. May I know, Mme. Speaker—

as the Hon. Rolando G. Andaya, Jr. said, with the advancement of one sector, it is inevitable that we will have the fifth Salary Standardization Law in the offing. So, I think the concerns of the Honorable Tinio will be accommodated in another law that will be adjusting salaries very soon, Mme. Speaker. So, we beg the indulgence of the Honorable Tinio, Mme. Speaker, that we forego his individual amendments in the meantime so that we can give way to the approval of the Joint Resolution.

REP. TINIO. Mme. Speaker, it is on record that

I made a concrete proposal and it was rejected by the Sponsor and so, I will leave it at that.

REP. DEFENSOR. We are very thankful to the

Honorable Tinio, Mme. Speaker. REP. TINIO. Thank you, Mme. Speaker.


Published by the Publication and Editorial Service, Plenary Affairs BureauThe Congressional Record can be accessed through the Downloads Center of the official website

of the House of Representatives at www.congress.gov.ph AZB/LINA/12072017/17:00

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker. THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano).

The Majority Leader is recognized. REP. DEFENSOR. With that, I move that we close

the period of amendments. THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano).


The period of amendments on House Joint Resolution No. 18 is hereby closed.

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we

approve House Joint Resolution No. 18, as amended, on Second Reading.

VIVA VOCE VOTING

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano).

As many as are in favor of House Joint Resolution No. 18, as amended, please say aye.

SEVERAL MEMBERS. Aye. THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano).

As many as are against, please say nay.

FEW MEMBERS. Nay.

APPROVAL OF H. JT. RES. NO. 18, AS AMENDED,

ON SECOND READING THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano).

The ayes have it; the motion is approved.House Joint Resolution No. 18, as amended, is

approved on Second Reading.

REFERRAL OF HOUSE RESOLUTIONSON INQUIRIES IN AID OF LEGISLATION

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, in accordance with our Rules Governing Inquiries in Aid of Legislation, I move that we refer the following House Resolutions to the appropriate Committees:

1. House Resolution No. 1460, to the Committee on Ways and Means;

2. House Resolution No. 1464, to the Committee on Housing and Urban Development;

3. House Resolution No. 1468, to the Committee on Dangerous Drugs;

4. House Resolution No. 1474, to the Committees on Ways and Means and Appropriations;

5. House Resolution No. 1480, to the Committee on Public Works and Highways;

6. House Resolution No. 1481, to the Committee on Public Order and Safety; and

7. House Resolution No. 1485, to the Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs.

I so move, Mme. Speaker.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). Is there any objection? (Silence) The Chair hears none; the motion for the referrals is hereby approved.

ADJOURNMENT OF SESSION

REP. DEFENSOR. Mme. Speaker, I move that we adjourn the session until four o’clock in the afternoon of Monday, December 11, 2017.

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER (Rep. Garcia-Albano). Is there any objection? (Silence) The Chair hears none; the session is adjourned until Monday, December 11, 2017, at four o’clock in the afternoon.

It was 7:04 p.m.

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